Photo Credit: Griffin Scott
STANFORD – The University of Texas women’s swimming and diving team rallied from a 24-point deficit Thursday night to top Stanford University, 156-144, at the Avery Aquatic Center. It marked Texas’ second consecutive win at Stanford after the Longhorns posted a narrow victory in 2012.
Gretchen Jaques and Kelsey Leneave led the way for Texas with two wins apiece. Jaques swept the the 100 breast (1:00.15) and 200 breast (2:12.10), while Leneave topped the 100 and 200 fly. In the 200 fly, Leneave touched at 1:58.68, with Stanford freshman Ally Howe in second at 1:59.58. Later in the meet, Howe won the 200 back in 1:59.08, comfortably in front of Texas senior Sarah Denninghoff (2:01.47). Leneave added a second win in the 100 fly at 53.49.
Simone Manuel did her part for Stanford, winning all three of her individual events. Manuel touched first in the 100 free (48.57), 200 free (1:45.20) and 500 free (4:48.12) to pick up 27 individual points for the Cardinal.
Manuel also anchored Stanford’s winning 200 medley relay, as Ally Howe, Sarah Haase and Janet Hu joined her to post a 1:39.78, just over a second in front of Texas’ Tasija Karosas, Gretchen Jaques, Brynne Wong and Rebecca Millard (1:40.92).
Texas senior Kaitlin Pawlowicz earned the first individual win of the meet after completing the 1000 free in 9:54.27, well ahead of Stanford’s Allison Brown (10:11.26). In the 100 back, Stanford’s Janet Hu edged Texas’ Tasija Karosas, 53.63 to 53.86, to pick up five additional points for the Cardinal.
Maddy Schaefer gave Stanford wins in four of the five freestyle events with a 22.82 in the 50 free, right before teammate Cassidy Cook topped the 1-meter diving event with 319.35 points. Texas’ Meghan Houston took second with 307.58 points. Texas’ Emma Ivory-Ganja won the 3-meter with 354.60 points.
Madisyn Cox of Texas picked up the final individual event of the meet, the 400 IM, with a 4:13.84. Stanford’s Ally Howe touched second in 4:18.45.
Texas capped its comeback with a narrow victory in the 200 free relay to close out the meet. Gretchen Jaques, Brynne Wong, Emily Rose Williams and Rebecca Millard touched in 1:31.26 to barely out-touch Stanford’s Maddy Schaefer, Lindsey Engel, Julia Ama and Lia Neal (1:31.32) for the win.
One difference in the meet is the final reaction times of anchors on the 200 free relay. If Lia Neal is ..33 instead of .50 Stanford wins the meet.