University of Houston
New Mexico State
Swimming and Diving Sweeps for Second Straight Day
10/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 14, 2006
Houston-New New Mexico State-Northern Colorado Complete Results (Oct. 14) in PDF Format
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LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Senior captain Szintia Szanto finished first in three individual events to lead the University of Houston swimming and diving team to a sweep of host New Mexico State and Northern Colorado for the second straight day at the NMSU Complex on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (4-0) enjoyed a 160-148 win over the host Aggies and a 184-116 win over Northern Colorado in the 16-event meet schedule. On Friday, the Cougars enjoyed a 138-103 win over New Mexico State and a 146-96 win over Northern Colorado in a 13-event schedule.
With Saturday's wins, the Cougars improved to 4-0 in dual meets. It was the first time in school history that UH won its first four dual meets to open a season.
Szanto won the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:08.54 and earned top honors in the 200-yard event with a time of 2:24.61. The Budapest, Hungary capped her day with another first-place showing in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:03.12, nearly nine seconds faster than her closest competitor.
Szanto was not the only Cougar performer to win multiple events on Saturday. Sophomore Andrea Pa'lmai, a fellow Budapest native, won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:40.07 and claimed top honors in the 200-yard backstroke with a clocking of 2:07.82 to finish nearly five seconds ahead of her closest competitor. Pa'lmai also finished second in the 200-yard butterfly.
Sophomore Sasha Schwendenwein won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:54.10 and finished second in the 100-yard freestyle. The Randburg, South Africa, native also finished second in the 100-yard butterfly.
Freshman Jessica Shamburger won the 100-yard backstroke with a clocking of 59.01 and placed second in the 50-yard freestyle.
Junior Nicole Vaiana finished second in the 500-yard freestyle.
For the second straight day, the Cougar divers more than lived up to their national reputation as one of the best, sweeping the Top-Four place in both events.
Senior Anna Kiess won the 3-meter diving competition with 298.75 points. Sophomore Anastasia Pozdniakova, the defending Conference USA Freshman Diver of the Year, led the way on the 1-meter springboard, posting 300.55 points.
Junior newcomer Ginni van Katwijk, a transfer from Wyoming, finished second in both events.
The Cougars' 200-yard medley relay team of Shamburger, Szanto, Schwendenwein and Vaiana won with a time of 1:49.13, while the 200-yard freestyle relay finished second.
The Cougars return to action at 10 a.m., Oct. 28, when they play host to Conference USA rival SMU and Oregon State in a tri-meet at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium. Fans and media should note that the starting time for the Cougars' home opener was recently moved up to accommodate CSTV's broadcast of the Houston-UCF football game later that afternoon.
Players Mentioned
