Arkansas vs. Missouri, Kentucky

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, January 12. THE No. 22 University of Arkansas swimming and diving squad put in another stellar day at the pool on Saturday, pushing No. 23 Missouri aside 159-141 and downing fellow SEC team Kentucky 164-134.

"I'm extremely proud of the way the girls competed today against two quality teams in Missouri and Kentucky," Razorbacks head coach Jeff Poppell said. "We had not beaten either program in 14 years and after two months since our last competition, I was a little worried we might be a bit rusty. However, right from the first event we came out strong and swam well throughout the entire meet. Coming off some intense training over the last month, our performances today give us great confidence heading into the SEC Championship meet."

Newcomer Yi Ting Siow won three events in her debut with the Razorbacks (8-1, 3-1), taking first place in the 100 breast (1:03.04), 200 breast (2:14.40) and 200 IM (2:03.83). Siow's time in the 100 breast is the second fastest time in Arkansas school history.

The Razorbacks racked up seven first place finishes at the double dual meet, including two wins by senior Stephanie Carr in the 1,000 free (9:57.99) and the 500 free (4:52.62). Katie Kastes took the win in the 200 fly with a time of 2:00.54 and Lynette Ng won the 100 back race in a time of 57.04.

Helping edge the Razorbacks passed the Wildcats and Tigers were seven second place times and five third place times, giving the home team the much needed depth coach Poppell talked about early in the season.

Junior Leah Pierce continues to impress, touching in second in the 100 and 200 breast events in times of 1:03.56 and 2:16.70, respectively. The team of Katie Davis, Erin Neumann, Lisa Lunkenheimer and Summer Jackson took second in the 400 medley relay to start the day in a time of 3:47.75. Kastes and Ashley Largo were Arkansas' other second place finishers and Largo, Palmer, Neumann, Alison Templin and Erica Totten had third place times.

The Razorbacks struggled on the springboards for the second straight meet, not finishing better than senior Madison Palmer's third place finish on the three-meter springboard with a score of 304.58 . Palmer came in fourth in one-meter diving (263.63).

"We did not dive at a level that was helpful to the team today," diving coach Dale Schultz said. "We have to work very hard from here on out if we're going to score at the SEC Championships next month."

Also competing in the diving events for Arkansas were senior Kellyn Williams who placed ninth in her exhibition dive in the one-meter (211.43) and sixth in the three-meter springboard (255.83), freshman Alex Roman who came in eighth on the one-meter board (216.08) and ninth with her exhibition three-meter dives (190.80) and freshman Liana Bugslag came in seventh both the one-meter springboard (230.18) and three-meter springboard (247.58).

Special thanks to Arkansas for contributing this report.

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