Sports
 

UH plunges into difficult weekend

By Stuart H. Clements
The Daily Cougar

The Houston swimming and diving team jumps into action this weekend for its toughest test of the season.

UH takes to the lanes at 7 p.m. Friday for a dual meet against No. 11 Southern Methodist and follows that with a meet against No. 14 Texas A&M at noon Saturday.

"We're going to go out and do the best that we can," swimming head coach Mark Taylor said. "Friday will be a good prep meet for the Conference USA Championships."

The C-USA Championships will be at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium on Feb. 26-28.

This weekend's dual meets will serve as a final and demanding acid test before Houston finds itself swimming against the cream of the C-USA crop.

The Mustangs wield a powerful weapon in senior swimmer Georgina Lee.

Lee, a native of Birmingham, England, took the gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly at the Fina World Cup in Long Island, NY.

In addition, Lee set a new Mustang record in that event, swimming the length in two minutes, 8.03 seconds. 

In contrast to the seriousness in which Houston is treating Friday's match against SMU, the Cougars will have a chance to cut loose during Saturday's morning meet.

According to Taylor, the Cougars will swim in off events Saturday in order to give the team some variety. 

In addition, Saturday is Senior Day at the CRWC Natatorium. Houston will say goodbye to its four seniors ­ co-captains Kristina DeWitt and Lucile Turpin, and Brittney Dye and Laura Starr.

Despite all the fun and festivities Saturday, the Aggies (8-1) mean business as they are searching for their first ever 10-win season.

UH Freshman Anna Kiess was honored as C-USA Diver of the Week for the first time in her career at Houston. Kiess, a native of Berlin, joins sophomore diver Azul Almazan as the second Cougar in two weeks to earn the award. 

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