MIAMI (Jan. 30, 2016) – Despite having produced some of the team's fastest times in dual meet action this season, the FIU swimming and diving team (7-5) fell to the Miami Hurricanes, 205-95, on Saturday afternoon at the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center.
Prior to the match, FIU honored seniors
Valerie Inghels,
Jessica Piper and
Becky Wilde, who took part in the final home meet of their Panther careers.
"Val Inghels,
Jessica Piper and
Becky Wilde are great," Head Coach
Randy Horner said. "They've done a great job in helping the team focus. They have also provided good leadership through this tough season. They've led the charge, stayed focused and kept the team pointed in the right direction. They are doing a great job."
Sophomores
Kyna Pereira and
Naomi Ruele stood out for FIU, claiming first-place finishes on the afternoon. Pereira, the reigning Conference USA Swimmer of the Week, continued to dominate the distance events, winning both the 500 and 1000 free. The Umkomaas, South Africa, native posted a time of 10:07.74 in the 1000 free – a season-low in dual meet action. It also improved the second-year Panther to 6-0 on the year in the 1000 free. Pereira also claimed the 500 free title with a time of 4:55.20 – her second-fastest time in the event at home this season. Ruele registered her third victory of the year in the 50 free, coming in at 23.31. The time was a season-best in dual meet action for the Botswana product.
"This was a great performance as a team for a dual meet," Horner said. "To see some of these season-best performances in a dual meet, with where we are at in training, is exactly what we hoped to do. I feel like we had some stand-out performances with (Naomi) Ruele winning the 50 free and Pereira winning the distance events. There were also a lot of other role players that didn't win events, but swam very fast and are getting things done and where they need to be."
In the 200 free, sophomore
Skye Carey notched the team's best time of 1:53.83, placing third. The Satellite Beach, Fla., native also registered the Panthers' fastest time in the 200 back (2:06.39). Pereira claimed FIU's top spot in the 100 back (third place) with a career-low time of 58.79. Sophomore
Chase Harris recorded a 1:06.83 in the 100 breast for a third-place finish to lead FIU. Junior
Jennifer Deist notched a season-best in dual action in the 200 fly, recording a time of 2:04.61. Deist also led FIU in the 100 free with a season-best 51.75 and a fourth-place finish.
Freshman
Nicole Hunnewell placed second in the 200 breast to lead FIU (2:25.02), while sophomore
Letizia Bertelli claimed the team's top spot in the 100 fly (56.68) and freshman
Ilaria Manzella was the Panthers' top finisher in the 200 IM (2:11.65). Manzella's time was a career best.
In diving, sophomore
Rebecca Quesnel was FIU's top finisher, placing third the 1-meter (286.65) and fourth in the 3-meter (285.50) programs.
"The measure of today is definitely not on the scoreboard," Horner said. "It was not an even battle against a team with tech suits. We swam faster than we had all season. That's something to hang our hats on. We now have to focus on the next meet."
FIU will travel to Boca Raton, Fla., to take on C-USA foe Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Feb. 6. The meet is set for 11 a.m.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUSwimDive) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSwimmingAndDiving) for all the latest Swimming and Diving news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
