The Missouri State Bears' swimming and diving teams both picked up wins in Missouri Valley battle against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Hammons Student Center Pool Saturday. The MSU men won their side of the meet 133-110 and the women won 124.5-100.5.
Missouri State's Liz Geisler continued to lower her time in the 1,000-yard freestyle by swimming a first-place time in 10:19.53, improving her MSU varsity record that she set Jan. 14 against Mizzou in 10:22.85. Geisler also picked up wins in the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.61) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:05.80).
Andi Rojas and Kyla Meuer had a one-two finish for the Bears in the 200-yard IM. Rojas earned the first-place win in 2:05.58 and Meuer came in second in 2:10.28. Rojas was also the winner in the 200-yard butterfly event, swimming the race in 2:08.70.
The MSU women's 400-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay both came out on top, as the medley relay finished in 3:55.61 and the freestyle relay in 3:36.78.
Stacey Arkovich was the champion in both diving events for the Bears. She earned 263.25 points on the three-meter board and 251.85 points on the one-meter board.
On the men's side of the meet, MSU's Matt Beasley set a new Hammons Pool record in the 500-yard freestyle with a final time in 4:31.85, earning him the win. The record was previously held by Nathan Segura of Missouri State in 4:33.64, set on Jan. 29, 1999 against Northeast Louisiana. Beasley was also a winner in the 200-yard IM (1:50.80).
Mitch Richards sprinted to a time in 21.25 in the 50-yard freestyle event, earning him an individual win for the Bears. MSU's Ignacio Gayo (46.63) edged off SIU's Stephan Ackerman (46.76) for the close win the 100-yard freestyle. Seth Johnson and Greg Temple had a one-two showing in the 200-yard breaststroke with Johnson finishing first in 2:05.53 and Temple second in 2:08.08.
Missouri State's Cole Kalkbrenner was the winner on the three-meter diving board, earning 273.75 points. Ryan Maeker of MSU finished second with 253.05 points. In the one-meter diving competition, Maeker totaled 242.93 points, earning him second-place; Kalkbrenner finished in third with 233.18 points.
The men's 400-yard freestyle relay event proved to be the best competition of the meet, with the Bears and the Salukis swimming stroke for stroke. The race came down to the final leg, but it was Dennis Hedo of SIU who touched the wall only .06 seconds faster than MSU's Beasley to win in 3:04.30.
The Bears' swimmers and divers will be back in the water Saturday, Jan. 28, as the women take on TCU and North Texas and the men battle TCU in Ft. Worth, Texas, at 12 noon.
