By Mackenzie Roger

Contributing Reporter

With a loss to Western Kentucky in the Golden Grizzly Quadrangular last week fresh in their minds, the OU women’s swim team took on the University of Houston Saturday. Neither the team nor the spectators left disappointed.

Despite the 113-110 loss, OU’s competitiveness undoubtedly made their statement; with no finishes lower then third place for the first five events.

“This is the first time we’ve swum them,” said head coach Pete Hovland. “We raced much better than last week. Even though we lost, the real value came in our time drops.”

Junior Agnes Solan led the Grizzly charge early in the meet, with first and second place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle respectively.

“We have a big freshmen class this year,” Solan said. “We’re trying to motivate them. They see that if I can swim fast, they have to as well, to keep the momentum going.”

Senior Tara Baxter competes in the 100-yard butterfly race. Baxter finished sixth in the event.

Bob Knoska/The Oakland Post

Freshman Johanna Gustafsson also stepped up, winning the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:05.20. Gustafsson also swam the 400 medley relay.

Junior Sarah Ludema contributed valuable points to the meet, winning the 50-yard free with a time of 24.55, touching out teammate Corey Tschannen by less than half of a second.

Both the one and three-meter diving events were ruled by UH’s Nastia Pozdniakova, setting pool records in both events. Pozdniakova was also the silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics this past year in the women’s three-meter synchronized springboard.

“Houston had a huge advantage in diving with an Olympian on their team,” Hovland said. “They have one of the best diving programs in the country, so automatically we knew we would have to make up about 26 points to have a chance.”

Despite being tied 56-56 halfway through the meet, UH gained momentum in the second half and proved too much for OU to handle. The loss brings the women’s swim team record to 2-3.

The swim teams compete next at Wright State in Ohio, November 7 and 8 at 5 p.m. and noon respectively.

Above, sophomore Jill Peterson competes in the 400-yard medley relay against Houston on Nov. 1. Her team finished fourth in the event. Below, freshman Johanna Gustaffson swims in the 400-yard individual medley. Gustaffson finished fourth in that event for Oakland.

Bob Knoska/The Oakland Post