MARSHALL, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead swimming & diving had to battle back from a slow start to sweep a triangular with Southwest Minnesota State and Jamestown on Tuesday. The Dragons defeated the Mustangs 159-140 while also topping the Jimmies, 217-71.
The Dragons would open the meet strong with a victory in the 400-yard medley relay. The unit of Kelsey Jackson, Rose Urick, Fernanda Leon and Sophia Verke would mark a 4:03.58 to win the event. MSUM would be held from the win column over the next two events as Turin Johnson led the Dragons in the 1000-yard freestyle, clocking a time of 11:51.70. Maggie Moore would finish runner-up in the next event, the 200-yard freestyle, marking a time of 2:00.19. Freshman Anika Grunenwald would earn third-place marks in the same event with a time of 2:04.99.
Jackson would get Moorhead back to the winning ways momentarily, claiming a victory in the 50-yard backstroke. The junior finished with a time of 28.20 while Lacie Stark (29.80) and Joanna Phillips (30.17) would place fourth and sixth respectively. Rose Urick would grab a third-place finish in the 50-yard breaststroke with a strong time of 32.01. The Dragons would earn some needed team points in the next event, the 200-yard butterfly, which saw Leon earn a victory with a time of 2:08.16. Cami Mayo would place third in the same event with a mark of 2:31.62.
Verke (25.36) and Moore (25.51) would finish second and third in the 50-yard freestyle with Tresa Baumgard (26.21) placing sixth for MSUM. The Dragon divers would add some crucial points thereafter as freshman Kennedy Olson picked up a win in 1-meter competition. Olson marked an overall score of 230.70 while Zoe Bjerke (223.30), Ruth Guy (219.75) and Isabelle Johnson (213) would round out the top four placers. Moore (55.68) and Verke (56.28) would go on to finish second and third respectively in the 100-yard freestyle. Phillips (57.79) would grab sixth-place marks in the same event.
The junior Jackson would then make another massive impact in the 200-yard backstroke, winning the event with a mark of 2:10.15. Adrianna Sullivan also came in clutch for Moorhead, finishing third with a time of 2:21.74. Urick would make it back-to-back wins for the Dragons, winning the 200-yard breaststroke behind a time of 2:29.83. In the 500-yard freestyle, Grunenwald was MSUM’s top finisher with a mark of 5:35.64.
Moorhead would surge from there, claiming three straight event wins beginning with Ruth Pavelski in the 50-yard butterfly. The Sun Prairie, Wis., native marked a 26.94 for the event win with Leon (27.58) and Mayo (28.71) finishing fourth and sixth respectively. Pavelski’s mark was under a second off her personal best. Moorhead’s divers would take over from there as Bjerke won 3-meter action with a score of 251.25. Much like 1-meter, Johnson (212.60), Olson (207.60) and Guy (203.30) would secure the next three positions. Leon would cap the home stretch, winning the 400-yard IM with a mark of 4:40.61. The sophomore would own the race, winning by over 20 seconds. Urick (5:10.18) and Mayo (5:15.17) would finish fourth and fifth respectively.
To close the meet, the 400-yard freestyle team of Verke, Pavelski, Phillips and Moore would place runner-up with a time of 3:41.25. Moorhead’s team of Baumgard, Sullivan, Sarah Coe and Grunenwald would place fourth with a mark of 3:51.10.
Up Next
MSUM returns to Nemzek Pool this weekend for a dual meet with Concordia-St. Paul. Events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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