No. 7 Aggies close out fall with win over Owls

Saturday, December 5

Houston, Texas

12:00 PM

Texas A&M

160

100

Rice

Gastaldello wins 100 backstroke at French Nationals

Dec 05, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving

HOUSTON – The No. 7-ranked Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team closed out the fall with a strong 160-100 dual meet victory over the Rice Owls on Saturday afternoon at the Rice Competition Pool.

With the win the Aggies improve to 5-1 in dual meet action and also had a team victory at the Art Adamson Invitation this fall. The Aggies won't compete again as a team until Jan. 8 when the Georgia Bulldogs come to Aggieland.

The Aggies won 13 of 14 possible races against the Owls, including grabbing at least the top two spots in seven events. Leading the way was sophomore Béryl Gastaldello, who grabbed a pair of individual wins and swam the opening leg on both winning relays. Gastaldello, from Miramas, France, won the 100 backstroke in 56.31 and the 100 freestyle in 51.28.

Also grabbing a pair of individual wins was junior Sarah Gibson, from San Antonio, Texas, with victories in the 200 free in 1:50.63 and the 500 free in 4:58.33.

Nabbing solo wins were senior Colleen Konetzke in the 1,000 free (10:07.47), sophomore Jorie Caneta in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.89), freshman Tiffany Futscher in the 200 butterfly (2:05.35), freshman Lexie Lupton in the 50 free (23.46), sophomore Lisa Bratton in the 200 back (2:00.42), sophomore Esther Gonzalez in the 200 breast (2:17.38) and sophomore Bethany Galat in the 400 IM (4:16.94).

The Aggies opened and closed the meet with relay victories. The foursome of Gastaldello, Caneta, Gibson and Lupton were victorious in the 200 medley relay in 1:42.89, and the quartet of Gastaldello, senior Victoria Salinas, freshman Shayne Gregson and Lupton touched first in the 200 free relay in 1:35.30).