Rice Takes First at Owl-A-Pooluza

HOUSTON — The Rice swim and dive team closed out the Owl-A-Pooluza meet with a team victory Saturday at the Rice Competition Pool.

The Owls finished first with 1,459 points, followed by Houston with 1,429.5 and TCU in third.

Rice dominated the relays, winning five of six events, and earned several individual titles from swimmers including Ella Dyson, Ava Portello, Lily Archibald and Bella Zhang.

The team of Abigail King, Siiri Einio, Archibald and Avery Karacz opened the day with a win in the 100 medley relay, posting a time of 48.20. Portello followed with a first-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.17), while Dyson placed second (4:55.37).

Archibald claimed the 50 butterfly title (25.24) and finished second in the 200 butterfly (2:02.38). Zhang swept both the 100 IM (56.57) and 200 IM (2:04.02).

In other top finishes, Ava Hamblett placed second in the 50 backstroke (26.21), and Einio was runner-up in the 50 breaststroke (26.71).

Rice also took first in the 100 free relay, as Neta Ussishkin, Archibald, Karacz and Mia Fildissis posted a time of 43.73. Dyson later won the 1,650 free (16:46.36) with Portello finishing second (16:51.46).

The Owls capped the meet with a win in the 400 free relay, as Archibald, Zhang, Karacz and Reese Cole clocked in at 3:25.33.

In diving, Antonina Harned placed fourth in the 3-meter event (255.35), and Morgan Robson took second in the platform dive (217.40).

The owls will return to the pool on Oct. 18 at the MPSF Open Water Championships in Long Beach, California.