Lauded by head coach Seth Huston as a senior-led victory, the Rice Owls improved to 2-0 on the season with a win over cross-town opponents the University of Houston at the UH pool on Thursday.
The final score saw Rice win 176-117, with a dominant 11 wins in 16 events.
Senior Erin Flanigan led the way for Rice with wins in both the 500 (4:58.65) and 1000 (10:12.05) freestyles without much competition to race in either event. While on the surface, the wins appeared dominant relative to the competition – which was not much in the distance freestyles – Flanigan was faster early on last season, and Huston’s post-race comments indicated that he’s holding his senior to high expectations this season.
Those high expectations, the Owls hope, will lead her to the NCAA Championships in the spring alongside another senior Casey Clark, who was there last year. Clark was 2nd in the 500 free to Flanigan, 8 seconds back, but also added a win in the 200 fly in 2:05.01. She held-on over the last 50 yards against teammate Kiley Beall, who placed 2nd in 2:05.74 but was a second better in the last 50 than her elder teammate.
A key to Rice’s season this year is the return of junior Meaghan Wisenbaker, who missed all of last season. She won the women’s 100 fly on Thursday in 56.88, beating out Houston’s Maya Owens (57.61). The Owls will count on Wisenbaker to continue developing for Rice and be prepared to take over Clark’s spots on the medley relays next season: a spot that could otherwise leave them with a big hole.
Rice doesn’t have any divers, which left Houston to roll to significant points there (though the Cougars’ depth still made those competitions extremely competitive – in example, Australian senior Heather Burgess won the 1-meter, but placed last on the 3-meter in an event separated by only 8 points from the four competitors).
For those athletes who dove off the blocks, rather than the boards, Houston also picked up two wins in individual events. Dora Bednjanec won the women’s 100 back in 58.36 by just a hair ahead of Rice’s Faith Hirschi (58.39).
Later in the meet, Houston freshman Ashley Grijalva won the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:22.48. She took a big lead early, and then pulled away in the last 25 yards.
Grijalva fell to Rice’s Rachel Moody in the 100 breaststroke by a margin of 1:03.36-1:07.09, showing that she’s still got some work to do in the sprint breaststrokes, but as a 200-yard breaststroker is the best recruit the Cougars have had since Beccy Hillis.
Rice next races against SMU on October 31st and North Texas on November 1st, while Rice swims the opposite schedule with a double-dual against North Texas and Texas A&M on October 31st, followed by a dual against SMU on November 1st.