Cougars top Hogs 125-118

PROVO, Utah – The University of Arkansas swimming and diving team fell to Brigham Young on Friday evening in Provo, Utah, with a final score of 125-118. The loss comes in the first meeting between the Cougars and the Razorbacks.

In the 1000 free, the Razorbacks finished in the first four spots with sophomore Chelsea Franklin in first with9:58.93 and Jamie Marks, Alison Templin and Ashley Largo taking the next three respective places. Franklin’s time sets a new pool record for the Richards Building Pool on the BYU campus. Her record was nearly six seconds faster than the previous record. This marks the second pool that Franklin has broken the record for this season.

Marks came back to take second in the 200 butterfly event with a time of 2:03.68. Erica Totten was just behind her with 2:06.14, good for third overall.

"I was pretty disappointed in the way we competed today," head coach Jeff Poppell said. "We didn’t come out and compete like a team that wanted to win, and BYU did. Our times were not where they have been this fall. I was very pleased with the divers today, however. They were really the ones that pulled us through."

The Razorbacks 400 medley relay group, Haley Smith, Erin Neumann, Katie Whitbeck and Carly Mercer picked up second place with a time of 3:51.85.

Alex Roman topped the three-meter dive with a score of 315.98. Freshman Kesha Naylor was just behind her with 305.4 points. Both of those scores are NCAA Zone qualifying scores. Roman and Naylor have each previously qualified on the three-meter board. Naylor’s score marks a new career best for the freshman. On the one-meter board, Naylor picked up first with 266.33. Liana Bugslag was third and Alex Roman finished fourth on the one meter.

"That was the best three meter we’ve had all year," diving coach Dale Schultz said. "I was very pleased considering we just got off the plane and turned around to compete."

Mercer came back to pace the 100 free with a time of 51.86 while Whitbeck came back to pick up second in the 200 free with a winning time of 1:51.68. Nicole Menzel was just behind her with third and Sigrun Sverrisdottir claimed fourth in the 200 free.

"Tomorrow we really just have to come into the meet like a team that wants to win," Poppell said. "We need to have better performances and come in ready to work."

The Razorbacks are back in the pool tomorrow morning as they face Utah in Salt Lake City beginning at 11 a.m. CT.

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