FINAL RESULTS

LEWISVILLE, Texas (SMU) - Four Mustangs picked up top-three finishes in their respective heats on night two as the SMU women's swimming and diving team finished fifth at the 22nd annual SMU Classic held at the Westside Aquatic Center.

Louisville scored 363 team points to earn the title of champion, while Missouri and UCLA tied for runner-up honors with 303 points each. Florida State finished fourth at 264, while SMU accumulated 244 points and TCU rounded out the group with 197. Florida State's Megan Brown earned high point honors for the swimmers, while UCLA's Maria Polykova picked up diving accolades.

The Mustangs' top point scorer for the meet was junior Maddie Hoch, who earned her second runner-up finish of the classic in the 500-yard freestyle on night two. In her second meet as a Mustang she has proved to be a top performer posting a 4:48.81 in the 500 distance.

"Maddie was just awesome, the way she had great strategy for her 500," head coach Steve Collins added. "She swam a great time, I was really pleased with that."

Vicky Cunningham's highest finish of the night came in the 100-yard freestyle Championship Final as she posted a 49.98, and was only out-touched by Louisville's Kelsi Worrell and Caroline McTaggart from UCLA, who each came in under Martina Moravcova's 1997 meet record time. Cunningham's time also met NCAA 'B' standards.

Junior Kirsty McLauchlan and sophomore Adri Santa also placed third in the Consolation Finals of the 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard backstroke, respectively. Junior Ursa Bezan had a standout night in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking a career-best 2:04.63 for fourth in the first heat.

"That was just great. Ursa was strong in the 200 IM and it was really a good comeback swim. She was disappointed with her 500 and then just swam awesome in the 200 IM, so we're really, really proud of her," Collins said.

McLauchlan's time in the 200 breast was an NCAA 'B' cut, while junior Tara-Lynn Nicholas, who swam in the Championship Final also posted a qualification standard at 2:15.46.

Mustang diver Lauren Lamb competed in the 3-meter on night two posting a 209.85 for sixth place.

"Last night in the 1-meter, tremendous performance," head diving coach Jim Stillson said. "She really stepped up and dove as well as I could expect from her early in the year. Some of her dives she struggles with early in the season, she had a little trouble with tonight. Overall, she's really coming along and is right where she should be."

In relation to the altered format with only one diver from each school Stillson said it is challenging because it really helps the diver to have the moral support of the rest of your team.

"I think it is more difficult, and it certainly is more of a pressure situation because when you have your teammates there and you slip up a little bit they can cover for you. Here you slip up and it's all you competing," Stillson added.

To open the night, the Mustang relay of senior Anna Volchkov, Nicholas, junior Marne Erasmus and Cunningham placed fifth in the 200-yard medley relay.

"Marne had a very amazing split on the 200 medley relay, probably close to what she's done in the past at the NCAA Championships so that was really great to see," Collins said. "She gutted it out in the 200 fly, it's not her race, but she swam a really good one."

SMU also placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay(Cunningham, Erasmus, Santa, Nicholas) to close the event.

"We finished strong and we competed well," Collins added. "We swam very, very good times for where we are at this point of the season, but more importantly we were up against some great competition this weekend. It was a very strong meet and a very successful women's Classic."

The Mustangs return to the pool Oct. 30 and 31 with road events at American Athletic Conference opponent Houston and Rice. Friday's event with the Cougars begins at 6 p.m. CT, while SMU takes on Rice Saturday at 12 p.m.

Event Notes:

-This is the second year the Classic has been held at the Westside Aquatic Center in Lewisville after being moved from the SMU campus.

-Three meet records were set on night two of the Classic, bringing the total to six overall (50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 200 breast, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay)

-SMU posted 6 NCAA 'B' standard times

-In all, 2 NCAA 'A' cuts, 55 'B' cuts and three Zone Diving qualification scores were posted.