Final Results

SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State men's swimming & diving opened up its season with 275-171 win at home against SIU, while the women's team fell to the Salukis with a 260.5-181.5 scoreline Friday and Saturday at Hammons Student Center Pool.

Day One
The MSU men took the lead after day one of competition, 139-85. The Bears won seven of 10 individual races, dominating with strong performances across all strokes.

Freshman Zach Mendez delivered a standout performance, winning the 200 (1:39.68) and 500 (4:34.66) yard freestyle competitions.

Sophomore transfer Ilias El Fallaki took the 1000-yard freestyle (9:46.79) in his first race as a Bear.

Junior Matvei Chesakov won the 50 yard freestyle (20.71) with senior Chris Bedsole close behind in second (21.72).

Classmate Anderson Brown took out the 200 yard butterfly (1:50.06) just edging in front of freshman Kayden Hedrick (1:50.11).

Senior Luigi Da Silva won the 200-yard breaststroke (2:03.67) with freshman Kiefer Roemer right behind in second (2:07.05).

On the diving board, in the one-meter diving competition, senior Storm Opdahl won convincingly with a score of 303.15.  

On the women's side, SIU led after day one, 126-95. The Salukis opened up with a win in the 400-yard medley relay and continued the momentum throughout the individual races.

However, the Bears continued to fight and put up some impressive wins.

In her very first collegiate race, freshman Aleca Howard won the 200-yard individual medley (2:06.77) just ahead of senior Lana Janson (2:07.49).

Junior Lindsey Hervey took out the 500-yard freestyle (5:07.35) just over half a second ahead of SIU's Ale Hoyos Horvath (5:07.66).

On the diving board, freshman transfer Delaney Nickles dominated in the three meter dive with a score of 247.50.

Day Two

The men rounded out the season opener on Saturday with a 275-171 win.

They opened up Saturday's competition with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Sophomore Carter Crook, freshman Kiefer Roemer, sophomore Jack Ailshire, and senior Lucas Chadwell won with a time of 1:30.29.

Mendez won convincingly in the 1000-yard freestyle (9:29.76) to take his third individual race win of the meet.

Chadwell picked up a win in the 50-yard freestyle (20.55) just ahead of Chesakov (21.17).

Brown won the 400-yard individual medley (4:04.66) edging out sophomore Máté Miszlai (4:05.80).

Ailshire took out the 100-yard butterfly (49.81) scraping past SIU's Benedek Andor (49.94).

Miszlai went one better and won the 500-yard freestyle (4:41.82) just ahead of Hendrick (4:44.86).

Roemer got his first win as a Bear in the 100-yard breaststroke (55.69) just .10 of a second ahead of Da Silva (55.79).

In the three-meter dive, Opdahl once again took the victory with 310.88 points.

The women's team fell to the Salukis with a 260.5-181.5 scoreline at the completion of competition on Saturday.

However, the Bears did not go down without a fight.

In the opening 200-yard medley relay, junior Olivia Sala, Janson, sophomore Addie Ludbrook, and junior Cameryn Johnson finished second (1:45.79) right behind SIU's Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez, Madalyn Booker, Masha Zhukova and Zaria Terry (1:44.69).

Junior Claire Culberson won the first individual race, the 1000-yard freestyle (10:37.93).

Junior Makenzie Kurre took out the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.43) scraping past SIU's Olivia Herron (1:55.66).

On the diving board, in the one-meter competition, junior Maggie Arceneaux scored 247.88 points, edging past Nickels who scored 240.00.

Missouri State swimming and diving will host a two-day meet against Indiana State (W) and Ouachita Baptist (M) starting on Friday, Oct. 17 starting at 5:00 p.m. at Hammons Student Center Pool.