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Seniors Kate Wheeler and Lauren Bailey dominated the field as they combined for five wins to lead <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska to a 168-132 win over Arkansas on Saturday morning at the Devaney Natatorium.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
The win moves Nebraska to 2-2 on the season and was the second in a row against the Lady Backs after a 181-115 victory in Fayetteville last October. With Saturday’s meet, Wheeler and Bailey won 10 races in the two meets between NU and UA.
“We always except a lot out of Kate and Lauren,” Head Coach Pablo Morales said. “They are outstanding competitors and they have worked very hard to get to the level that they’re at. They just continue to swim great.”
Bailey’s second and final win of the day clinched the victory for Nebraska as she cruised to a first-place finish in the 400-yard individual medley (4:28.11) in the second to last event. The Big 12 Swimmer of the Week for Oct. 22, Bailey also won the 200 free (1:52.92) and now has eight wins in 2006-07.
Wheeler had three of Nebraska’s eight event wins, including a season-best best time in the 100 free of 52.46. The Issaquah, Wash., native also won the 500 free (5:02.32) and 1,000 free (10:17.20).
While the veterans led the meet, a pair of newcomers also shined as freshmen Hailey Dean and Kaitlin Arntz each earned their first-career wins. Dean took the 100 breaststroke in a season-best time of 1:06.57 and Arntz won the 200 breaststroke in 2:22.25. Through four dual meets this season, three of the Huskers’ seven freshmen have already won their first races at the collegiate level (Mariah Hutchinson won the 100 fly at MissouriState).
Nebraska’s final win of the day came in the form of the 800 free relay when Hutchinson, Wheeler, sophomore Jenny Toler and Bailey turned in a season-best time of 7:39.98, more than two seconds ahead of Arkansas’ ?A’ relay in 7:42.67.
Morales said the Huskers will look to use this win as a “stepping stone” for the Minnesota Invitational, which is Nov. 17-19 in Minneapolis, Minn. It is the next regular season event on NU’s schedule after it hosts the annual Alumni Meet next Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Devaney Natatorium. The time has not yet been determined.