BISMARCK, N.D. -- MSU Moorhead swimming & diving would see success in the opening dual of the 2024-25 season. The Dragons topped the University of Mary in team scoring, 135-100 behind eight event wins. 

Diving would begin the dual as sophomore Zoe Bjerke turned in a nice performance in 1-meter action to win with a score of 222.10. Isabelle Johnson would come in second with a score of 210.3 while Ruth Guy would score 194.3. In 3-meter diving, Johnson won the event with a score of 230.8, which is the fifth-highest six-dive score in school history. Bjerke would finish just behind Johnson with a mark of 228.5 while Guy scored a 192.2. 

Relay work would move the action forward as the Dragon squad of Lacie Stark, Linnea Edgren, Ruth Pavelski and Sophia Verke would win the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:50.83. The team of Kelsey Jackson, Rose Urick, Taylor Cook and Lily Lengerich would place fourth in the same event with a time of 1:57.82. 

To close the meet, the team of Verke, Stark, Demi-Lee Carlisle and Maggie Moore would win the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:41.14. Moore would anchor the relay and mark a 54.23 100-yard split for MSUM. Verke would turn in a 54.25 split to open the race. The team of Jackson, Lengerich, Joanna Phillips and Cami Mayo would place fourth in the same heat with a time of 3:57.25. 

Moore would continue her swift day in the 200-yard freestyle, winning the event with a time of 1:59.74 as she would be the lone competitor to clock a sub-two minute time. Taylor Cook would place fourth in the same event, finishing with a time of 2:06.79. Verke would pick up another Dragon win in the 50-yard freestyle with a nice time of 24.97. Carlisle would mark a 25.53 to finish in second place behind the sophomore. Phillips would also have a strong showing for the Dragons, touching the wall at 26.02 to place fourth. 

MSUM's event wins were not done there as Pavelski would claim a win in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:17.86 with a 29.33 split off the blocks. Edgren would finish right behind Pavelski, placing second behind a mark of 2:22.73. Pavelski would also finish runner-up in the 100-yard fly with a time of 1:01.3. Moore (54.98) and Carlisle (56.42)  would finish second and third respectively in the 100-yard freestyle to give MSUM more team points. Jackson (1:01.35) and Stark (1:02.04) would also finish second and third as part of the 100-yard backstroke.

Rounding out the Dragon event wins for the day was freshman Rose Urick, who would clock a 1:11.05 in the 100-yard breaststroke to claim her first collegiate victory. Edgren would finish in second in the same race with a time of 1:12.57.

Up Next

MSUM will have the week off from competition next weekend before hosting Sioux Falls and Northern State in a tri-dual on Friday, October 18. Action from Nemzek Pool is set to begin at 2 p.m.