The University of Denver women’s swimming and diving team opened the new season with a loss to the Rice Owls 161-116 at the El Pomar Natatorium on Friday.

Despite the loss, two DU swimmers shined for the Pioneers in the meet.

Sophomore Michele Lowry won the 100-yd. backstroke in a time of 57.96.

Junior Kelsey Tortura placed third in the event with a time of 59.85. Tortura then won the 200-yd. backstroke in 2:05.05 and Lowry came in second at 2:06.40.

The Rice Owls won the other 11 races with the Pioneers finishing second in several of them.

Tortura finished second in the 200-yd. freestyle in 1:54.46 and Lowry placed second in the 200 yd. IM.

Freshman Olivia Dean finished .28 behind the winner in the 100-yd. butterfly with a time of 59.50.

Sophomore Ivy Yi earned second place in the 100-yd. breaststroke, finishing in 1:08.67 and Junior Tessa O’Connoll was second in the 200-yd. breaststroke in 2:30.15.

The Pioneers were unopposed in the diving competition as Sophomore Hannah Duckett won both the 1 meter and 3 meter events.

It was the first meet of the year for the Pioneers and Owls. It was also the first meet for the Pioneers new Head Coach Brian Schrader.

Tortura had won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference titles in the 100- and 200-yd. backstroke events. She had won each backstroke event she swam in dual meet competition for the past two seasons until being defeated by Lowry on Friday.

The Pioneers swam against some quality competition in their first meet.

Owls Junior Brittany Massengale spent her summer in Italy competing with the U.S. National Team.

Massengale won two events at the meet. She easily won the mile race in 17:24.58 and in the 500, she was nearly caught from behind by teammate Caitlan Warner.

Both the men’s and women’s DU swimming and diving teams will compete against Utah in their next meet in Salt Lake on Saturday.