Oct. 23, 2015

First Day Results | Follow @MoStateSwim

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The Missouri State men's and women's swimming and diving teams finished up the first day of action at the Kansas Double Dual in Robinson Natatorium on Friday, Oct. 23.

Several swimmers picked up season-best times on both Bears' teams, as the MSU men's squad trails Denver 131-49, while the women's squad is behind both Kansas (150-32) and Denver (141-41) after the opening day of races.

Senior Uvis Kalnins led the way on the men's side, earning a victory in the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 1 minute, 51.37 seconds. He also picked up a runner-up finish in the 50 freestyle (21.04) and took third by less than a second in the 200 free (1:39.84).

MSU freshman Minki Kang topped his collegiate best in the 1000 free by touching the wall at 9:27.96 for a runner-up showing in the event. Freshman Artur Osvath earned a second-place showing in the 100 breaststroke (57.33) and the Bears' 200 medley relay squad of Bryce Blattner, Isaac Springer, Osvath and Will Brand also placed second in a time of 1:33.58.

Finishing with top times this season after the first day of races on the Bears' men's team included Springer and Cwiek. Springer set his best time this year in the 100 breast (57.64), while Cwiek topped his 2015-16 season mark in the 200 butterfly (1:56.07) and earned fourth place in the 200 free (1:42.24).

Freshman Bryce Blattner also had a top performance for the Bears Friday, placing third in the 100 backstroke by touching in at 52.07.

Missouri State's Dora Kiss had one of the top first-day showings for the Bears' women's team. The senior earned a season-best time in the 1000 free (10:19.73) and also took second in the 200 fly (2:04.06).

Seven more MSU women's swimmers set top times for the year Friday.

Junior Lauren Pavel led the Bears in the 100 breast behind her season-best 1:05.98 finish to earn fourth place, while senior Olivia Gean joined her with a time of 1:09.24. Both Briana Horozewski (1:00.34) and Emily Chesser (1:00.69) in the 100 back, Anna Bump (24.87) in the 50 free, Heather Snyder in the 1000 free (10:41.73) and Josie Pearson in the 200 fly (2:06.32) all topped their fastest marks on the year.

Other notables for the Bears included seventh-place showings for Sydney Zupan in the 200 free, Loretta Stelnicki in the 100 back, and Hope Ernhart in the 50 free. Pearson also earned a top-five finish by taking fourth in the 200 IM.

Missouri State continues action at the Kansas Double Dual at 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Robinson Natatorium on the campus of the University of Kansas

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