For the first time in nearly a decade, the Missouri State Bears women's team defeated Truman State in Kirkville, Mo. The men's team also won, keeping their undefeated mark intact.
The Missouri State swimming and diving programs travelled to Kirksville, Mo. to take on the Bulldogs of Truman State. In the meet, the men's team won by a margin of 94-28, while the women's score was 82-40. This is the first time the women's team has defeated Truman in Kirksville since 2005. The men's victory also preserved their perfect record against the Bulldogs, a 22-0 mark all-time.
The Bears started the day well, with both the men's (1:36.74) and women's (1:47.37) 200-yard medley relay teams taking first place. The women followed this performance with an even stronger showing, with the 1000-yard freestyle group of Katharina Voelkel (10:27.12), Dimitra Drakopoulou (10:35.94) and Rene Smith (10:50.32) going 1-2-3.
Sophomores Nick Carter (1:46.33) and Jacob Sims (1:46.55), along with freshman Jared Roberts (1:48.61) also went 1-2-3, but in the 200-yard freestyle.
Bear swimmers swept honors in the backstroke and breaststroke events. Freshman Anna Ahlin (58.59, 2:05.47) winning for the women and sophomore Daan Jansen (53.05, 1:54.24) finishing first for the men in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events. Freshman Melissa Oishi (1:07.19, 2:26.60) won both of the breaststroke events for the women. Senior Chris Novak (59.61) won the 100-yard event, while freshman Colin Hill (2:11.41) edged Novak out in the 200-yard breaststroke
Sophomore Cameron Case turned in an impressive 1:58.26 in the 200-yard butterfly, finishing first. This victory sealed a victory in all stroke events.
The duo of freshman Amber Green (23.38 and 51.30) and senior Dillon Burns (21.43 and 47.95) won their respective 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. Neither of these athletes has lost a race in the 50-yard freestyle this season.
Sophomore Marta Nogueroles touched the wall at 5:10.49 to earn a victory in the 500-yard freestyle for the women, while freshman Gilles Cantrelle's time of 4:47.92 won it for the men.
Senior Jeff Bentz won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 53.09 to seal victory for the Bears with four events left to swim. Other first-place finishes for Missouri State were junior Brianna Willoughby in the women's 200-yard IM (2:11.45), Jansen in the men's 200-yard IM (1:58.36).
The Bears finished the night the same way they began. The men and women swept honors in the 400-yard freestyle relay events. The women's team of Green, freshman Janke Engelbrecht, senior Chelsea Dirks-Ham and Ahlin turned in a time of 3:32.79, the new top time in the MVC. The men's group of Burns, Bentz, Cantrelle and Carter touched the wall at 3:13.56.
The Bears will travel to West Lafayette, Ind. to compete in the prestigious Purdue Invitational from Nov. 19-21. This meet will feature some of the top talent in the NCAA. Action will begin at 10:00 a.m. on each day of the invitational.
