JON HELGASON/Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior Doug Folmer and the No. 15 mens' swimming and diving team lost to Texas and Southern Methodist University over the weekend.

The Arizona swim and dive teams had the opportunity to make a statement this weekend in Texas. Too bad they didn't have a little more time.

With only two individual victories on Friday, one by junior Juan Veloz in the 400-yard individual medley, and on the women's side a victory by senior Beth Botsford in the 200-yard backstroke, the Wildcats knew they needed a much better effort on Saturday.

Saturday did prove to be a much better day in the water for the Wildcats, as they scored five individual victories. Yet the men, ranked No. 15 in the country, fell to No. 5 Texas by a score of 205-183 while unranked Southern Methodist University barely edged Arizona out by a score of 178-103.

Veloz led the Wildcat men this weekend with three victories. The No. 1 ranked swimmer in the country in the 200-yard butterfly, Veloz won the 400-yard individual medley both days and added a victory in the 200-yard butterfly on Saturday.

Sophomore Chad Ainsworth outlasted the competition and held onto victory in the 1650-yard freestyle competition on Saturday to help bring the Wildcats back.

Freshman Lyndon Ferns performed well. He placed third in the 50-yard freestyle and set the top time of the year for Arizona in that event.

The Wildcat women, ranked No. 6 in the country, were unable to capitalize on the outstanding performance of Botsford as she continued her domination in the pool. Scoring a victory in her only event on Friday, the 100-yard backstroke, Botsford performed even better on Saturday, picking up victories in both the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard butterfly.

Strong performances by sophomores Emily Mason and Jessica Hayes were not enough as the women fell to No. 5 SMU 187-165 and to host school No. 8 Texas 213-134.

The Wildcat divers who played integral roles last weekend against California and Stanford were unable to make the same impact against SMU and Texas.

Junior Claire Febvay finished third in the three-meter diving competition and junior Daniela Bemme finished sixth. Junior Josh Anderson placed third in the men's three-meter competition, and junior Alex Vollelunga added a fourth place finish in the one-meter diving event.

While this was not the showing the Wildcats were hoping to have against more top-flight competition, Arizona has shown once again that it can swim with the best teams in the nation.

Arizona will close out its dual meet season on Saturday, Feb. 15 against in-state rival Arizona State at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center. The rivalry should be intense as the Sun Devils come in with the No. 13 ranked men's squad and No. 14 ranked women's team.