COLUMBIA, Mo. – Highlighted by yet another record-breaking performance, this time coming from junior Libby Howell in the 200 free, the Missouri State women's swimming & diving team earned two individual titles in day three of MVC Championship action Friday night at the Mizzou Aquatic Center.

MSU rode a pair of individual wins and a handful of podium placers to end day three atop the leaderboard with a 546.50 total. Thirty points separate second-place SIU and third Indiana State at 392 and 362.50 points, respectively. UNI controls fourth with a 322 score, while Illinois State (295), Evansville (166), Little Rock (128), and Valparaiso (105) rounding out the other Valley members.  

Adding to the Bears' freestyle championship accolades, Howell delivered a stellar 1:47.31 effort in the 200 free to seize gold and beat SIU's Kelsie Walker's time set in 2015. This is Howell's second title of the championship meet, with the Bixby, Okla. native taking the 500 free Thursday night.

"There was a lot of tough competition in the 200 free race, but I pushed and was able to come out on top," said Howell. "The championship is an amazing experience, and I am happy I was able to have such a great race."

Alex Thorson and Grace Beahan finished 3-4 in the 200 free to tack on key points for the Bears in the final heat.

Junior Anna Miller continued her impressive outing, winning her third gold in as many days and second individual crown in the 100 butterfly with a 53.97 mark. Fellow A-heat finalists Haley Allen and Kellie Fischer placed fifth and eighth, respectively.

The Bears saw a pair of runner-up efforts in the individual medley and breaststroke races to tack on to its already sizeable lead. Radloff swam a 4:19.83 in the 400 IM for her second silver-medal laurel of the meet, while newcomer Puleo edged Illinois State's Jensen Keck for second in the 100 breast with a time of 1:02.71.

MSU placed three in the 100 back A-final, paced by Ellie Southward (55.26) in third and followed by Sarah Allegri (55.77) and Kellie Fischer (55.79) in the 5-6 spots. Madison Brown led the B-heat for the Bears, taking the ninth-ranked 56.00 while Hannah Amelung clung to 13^th at 56.51.  

Howell once again came up big for the Bears in the freestyle portion of the 400 medley relay, passing UNI and handing MSU a runner-up podium spot to end Friday night's events.
  
MVC championship action concludes tomorrow with prelims at 11 a.m. and finals occurring at 5 p.m.

For all the latest information on the Missouri State swimming and diving team, visit missouristatebears.com or follow @MoStateSwim on Twitter.