Photo Courtesy: David Farr
AUSTIN – In an always intense Texas battle, No. 9 Texas A&M swimming upset the No. 2 Texas Longhorn women tonight in Austin, 169-131. In the end, A&M had just a bit too much depth for Texas, even with the Longhorn’s having some of the top swims of the night.
Texas A&M started the night off strong as Lisa Bratton, Sycerika McMahon, Beryl Gastaldello and Sammie Bosma won the women’s 200-yard medley relay in a 1:39.84. That’s the fifth-fastest time in the country so far this year, up from A&M’s 1:40.68 from three weeks ago. Texas’ Tasija Karosas, Gretchen Jaques, Brynne Wong and Rebecca Millard took second overall in 1:40.24.
Sarah Henry turned in a 9:43.35 for A&M to win the women’s 1000-yard free, moving up to third in the NCAA, while Kaitlin Pawlowicz of Texas improved on her now fifth-ranked time of 9:44.68 with a 9:44.31 for second this evening. A&M’s Colleen Konetzke clinched third overall in 10:07.68.
Texas’ Madisyn Cox earned the first of two individual victories tonight in 1:47.61 in the 200-yard free. That’s a bit off her eighth-ranked 1:47.24 season best, but good enough for the win. A&M’s Sarah Gibson (1:48.83) and Lili Ibanez Lopez (1:49.09) claimed second and third.
A&M bounced back in the 100-yard back with a 1-2 finish as Gastaldello (54.18) and Bratton (54.62) clinched the top two spots. Karosas managed a third-place finish for the Longhorns in 54.70.
Jaques, the NCAA leader in the 100-yard breast so far with a 1:00.15, snared the win tonight in 1:00.72, while A&M’s McMahon (1:01.43) and Franko Jonker (1:03.17) went 2-3.
Texas went back-to-back with a win in the 200-yard fly when Kelsey Leneave hit the wall in 1:58.88. That’s a bit off her 11th-ranked 1:58.68 season best, but more than enough for the victory tonight. She led a huge Texas 1-2-3 as Pawlowicz (2:01.06) and Skylar Smith (2:03.64) rounded out the top three.
The Aggies responded in the 50-yard free as Sammie Bosma blasted a 22.82. That’s not quite her eighth-ranked 22.72 from this season, but was enough for the win tonight. Texas’ Rebecca Millard (23.29) and Brynne Wong (23.37) took second and third.
Bosma doubled up with a 49.71 in the 100-yard free to jump to eighth in the NCAA rankings. Millard placed second again in 50.14, while A&M’s Meredith Oliver took third in 51.01.
In one of the fastest matchups of the night, Bratton touched out Karosas, 1:54.92 to 1:54.97, in the 200-yard back for a big Aggie win. Bratton moved up to fourth in the NCAA, while Karosas improved on her sixth-ranked 1:56.02 to take fifth overall now. A&M’s Claire Brandt placed third in 1:58.67.
McMahon earned a victory in the 200-yard breast for A&M with a 2:12.25 to take seventh in the NCAA, while Jaques finished second in 2:14.50. Ashley McGregor of A&M finished third in 2:15.49.
Henry earned another double for the Aggies with a 4:47.21 to top the 500-yard free. That put her fifth in the NCAA. Texas’ Pawlowicz finished second in 4:50.21, while Cox placed third in 4:50.77.
Gastaldello clipped Leneave in the 100-yard fly, 53.81 to 53.88. Gastaldello improved to 12th in the NCAA with Leneave just missing her seventh-ranked 53.49. Wong claimed third in 54.86.
Cox then doubled up with a 1:59.64 to win the 200-yard IM. She holds the top time in the country already with a 1:58.56 for Texas. McMahon (2:00.97) and Bratton (2:01.31) placed second and third for the Aggies.
A&M then put up the top time in the country in the 400-yard free relay as Bosma, Oliver, Gastaldello and Ibanez Lopez won the event in 3:20.40. That clipped the 3:20.45 posted by Indiana a week ago. Texas’ Jaques, Karosas, Millard and Leneave placed second in 3:21.65.
In diving events, A&M’s Madison Hudkins won the one-meter event with 306.53 points. Texas’ Emma Ivory-Ganja took the three-meter title with 347.40 points.