MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead swimming & diving began the home portion of its schedule in victorious fashion on Saturday afternoon inside Nemzek Pool. The Dragons would cruise to a victory over visiting Sioux Falls, 188-104.
Kennedy Olson would continue her win streak, sweeping both diving events for MSUM. Olson scored an impressive 244.90 to win 1-meter competition, which sits just outside the top five in program history.
Aubrey Piechowski (198.25) and
Jovie Ebertowski (193.55) would place second and third respectively. Olson also claimed 3-meter action with a six-dive count of 219.45. Ebertowski (184.20) and Piechowski (175.35) would swap finishing positions on the high dive.
The Dragons would continue to look strong as swimming events got going, beginning with the 200-yard medley relay. Moorhead's team of
Isabel Koch,
Rose Urick,
Ruth Pavelski and
Sophia Verke would win at 3:49.94, just over a second off the Nemzek Pool record. MSUM's squad of
Brooke Ruoff,
Lauren Phillips,
Fernanda Leon and
Ella Ritz would place third with a time of 1:51.62. The Dragons had a resounding win to close the dual as well, winning the 400-yard freestyle relay thanks to the team of
Maggie Moore, Pavelski, Ritz and Verke. The quartet clocked a 3:38.12 for the win while the team of Ruoff,
Joanna Phillips,
Anika Grunenwald and
Haley Stainbrook would finish runner-up at 3:46.58.
After the Cougars claimed four straight events, it was Moorhead's turn to answer. Junior
Fernanda Leon would lead efforts in the 200-yard breaststroke, clocking a 2:09.44 to win. Verke and Moore would continue to compile wins and team points for MSUM in the 50-yard freestyle. Verke would win the race with a blazing time of 24.58 with Moore placing runner-up at 24.61. The same would be true in the 100-yard freestyle as Verke marked a 53.61 for the victory with Moore clocking a 53.81 for runner-up marks.
Isabel Koch would continue to look sharp in the backstroke for the Dragons, winning the 200-yard ideation on Saturday. Koch swam a 2:14.57 for the win with Ruoff (2:16.28) placing runner-up. Urick preserved the Dragon win streak in the next event as well, the 200-yard breaststroke. The junior touched the wall at 2:28.93 to win while
Lauren Phillips (2:32.06) placed fourth.
Pavelski would collect a critical victory for MSUM in the 100-yard fly, breaking out of the blocks for an impressive time of 58.28. The speedy swim erupted the Nemzek Pool crowd while Leon would etch more team points for Moorhead, placing second at 59.73. Leon would win her second event of the afternoon in the dual's final individual race. The Lima, Peru, native swam a 2:11.45 to win the 200-yard IM, piling up nine more team points for the Dragons.
Up Next
MSUM is back to the road next week for a dual with Northern State, scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
