SIOUX FALLS – Despite a point advantage in the swimming competition, the University of Sioux Falls Women's Swimming squad dropped a 155-139 decision to Minnesota State-Moorhead in the first-ever dual swim meet hosted by USF on Friday at the Midco Aquatic Center.
The Cougars, directed by interim head coach
Rita Koryukova, outscored MSU Moorhead, 139-to-123 in swimming competition but lost the NSIC dual when the Dragons had a 32-0 point edge in diving. USF does not have a diving team.
USF held the points edge in swimming by winning six events and scoring well across the board. Leading the way for USF was double winner
Maike Doerr, who captured the 200 freestyle in 1:58.48, edging past teammate
Jenna Krahn, who clocked a 1:58.81. In total, USF placed five of the top-seven in the 200 freestyle.
Sydnie Saddoris was fourth (2:01.91),
Maddie Donohue, fifth (2:03.27) and
Lauren Tabbert, seventh (2:11.22). Doerr also captured the 100 butterfly (58:15) and was second in the 200 butterfly (2:13.07).
Gigi Bario had a strong meet with three top-fourth finishes, including a victory in the 200 backstroke (2:10.29), finishing second in 100 backstroke (59.77) and swimming the opening leg on the 400 medley relay, which was second. She swam to fourth place in the 100 butterfly.
Alex Sanchez Clark captured the 1000-yard freestle, leading a 1-2-3 finish by USF. Clark clocked an 11:05.73, followed by second place finisher
Evelyn VanDeMark in 11:07.86 and third place finisher
Nina Groene in 11:07.88. Sanchez-Clark was also second in the 500-freestyle (5:22.01) fourth in the 200 butterfly (2:17.21).
Groene also picked up a win, capturing the 500-freestyle in 5:21.48 as the Cougars claimed the top three spots. Along with Sanchez-Clark, USF dominated in the longer swims as VanDeMark added a third-place finish in the 500 freestyle in 5:24.15.
Michelle Hoffin also captured an individual victory for the Cougars, winning the 200 IM by .75 over Taylor Beynon of MSU-Moorhead, 2:12.09-to-2:12.86. Hoffin also was second in the 200 backstroke (2:12.09).
USF also had a strong performance in the 50 freestyle as
Ingelin Lima (24.77) led a 2-3-4 finish. Groene was third in 25:07 and
Tori Bailey, fourth, 25:13. Bailey also claimed fourth in the 100 freestyle (55:39). Besides her second place finish, Lima was third in the 100 butterfly (1:00.56) and also swam on a pair second place relays for USF.
Along with a second place finish in the 200 freestyle, Krahn also was second in the 100-freestyle (54.68). Also for USF,
Chantal Kasch was second in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.94) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:22.01).
USF had a strong performance in the relays, capturing second and third in both contested relay events. The team of Bario, Kasch, Doerr and Lima clocked a 4:00.82, just .21 from winning the 400 medley relay. The Cougars also claimed third in that relay with a team of Bailey, Brie Lavelle, Hoffin and Krahn, clocking a 4:12.15.
The Cougars were also close in the 200 freestyle, falling to the Dragons by just .44. USF's team of Lima, Groene, Bailey and Krahn clocked a 1:38.66. USF also took third in 1:43.23 with a squad of
Maddie Donohue, Lavelle, VanDeMark, and Saddoris.
Next for the USF Swimming Team will be another home match as they host U-Mary on Thursday, Nov. 2 at the Midco Aquatic Center.
