SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State swimming & diving swept its two-day dual meet with conference foe UIC while celebrating its five seniors on Saturday for the Bears' final meet at Hammons Student Center Pool this season. The women's team defeated the Flames, 251.5-98.5, while the men's team took down UIC, 214-139.

Like yesterday, the women opened the second day of the meet with a relay win. Caitlyn Friebe, Cabrini Johnson, Samantha Roemer and Lana Janson combined for a time of 1:40.97 in the 200-yard medley relay, exactly half a second off of the quartet's time in the event at the House of Champions Invitational in Indianapolis back in November.

MoState got off to a hot start in the individual events. Lindsey Hervey set the Hammons Student Center Pool record in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:57.28), surpassing the previous record set earlier this season by Sophia Coleta (17:04.46) against Omaha on Nov. 2. Coleta finished third in the event on Saturday with a time of 17:12.78.

Payton Smith showed out in her farewell home meet. After being recognized before the meet as one of five Missouri State seniors, Smith won her third 200-yard butterfly race of the season at 2:01.73, her second-fastest time this year. She led Bears freshman Lillie Freulon in second (2:04.19) and Addie Ludbrook in fourth (2:06.99).

"Today was super special having my family here and having everybody supporting me," Smith said. "I had my first college win in my first home meet my freshman year in the 200 fly, so today was really full circle. I'm super excited for conference and to watch all the girls kill it."

Friebe backed up her 100-yard backstroke win yesterday with a close victory in the 200-yard backstroke (2:01.53), defeating UIC's Georgina Bell by two-tenths of a second (2:01.73). 

The Bears saw familiar places on top of the podium after earning a handful of top-three sweeps on Friday. Makenzie Kurre went from winning the 200-yard freestyle with a personal best time on Day 1 to leading a podium sweep in the 100-yard freestyle (50.21), just .02 seconds off her personal best. Roemer took the silver with a time of 50.74, followed by Janson (51.05).

Roemer moved up one spot for the gold in the 200-yard individual medley with a 2:02.16 time. Missouri State owned the podium again with Olivia Sala, yesterday's 400 IM winner, coming in second (2:05.49). Janson tied UIC's Taira Juronis for the final podium spot with a time of 2:06.80. 

Cabrini Johnson was another swimmer who remained consistent across the meet. Yesterday's 100-yard breaststroke winner also took the 200 breast (2:14.78) by nearly three seconds.

The women closed the swimming portion of the meet as Ainsley Jenkins, Kurre, Cameryn Johnson and Friebe took the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:25.97.

In diving, Maggie Arceneaux won her fourth event of the season with a 266.55 score in the 1-meter dive, the second-highest score in the event by a Bear this season. Courtney Stanbury, the lone diver recognized on Senior Day, got second with a score of 252.15, the fourth-best score by a Bear this season.

On the men's side, Gonzalo Ruiz bookended his day with a pair of wins in the 200-yard backstroke (1:47.91) and the 200-yard individual medley (1:52.60). In the 200 back, Alex Boutin (1:50.18) and Carter Crook (1:50.41) made it an all-Missouri State podium. 

Luigi Maciel da Silva also swept the breaststroke events across each day. After leading a podium sweep in the 100-yard breaststroke yesterday, he won the 200 breast with a time of 2:00.78. 

Chris Bedsole improved on his team-best time in the 200-yard butterfly, dropping a 1:48.89 time ahead of second-place finisher Simeon Sabev (1:49.47).

The Bears regained their spot on top of the relay races in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a winning time of 3:01.57. George Holesinger, Matvei Chesakov and Lucas Chadwell opened the race to hand the anchor, senior Brunno Suzuki-Tomiyama, with a lead and ultimately the swim in his maiden race at Hammons.

UIC's Harrison Nolan swept both diving events with a league-leading score of 417.90 in the 3-meter dive. Logan Schelfaut led the Bears in fourth at 334.58.

Missouri State will participate in the Omaha Diving Invite next week starting on Friday, Jan. 31 and concluding on Saturday, Feb. 1. Missouri State swimming will next see competition with the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Championship in Oxford, Ohio from Feb. 19-22. The women will compete in its conference championship in Waukee, Iowa the following week.