MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead swimming & diving enjoyed another strong dual performance on Saturday against visiting Northern State. The Dragons claimed wins in all 14 events to defeat the Wolves, 181-41.
Zoe Bjerke would shine on the diving board for the Dragons on Saturday, winning both 1-meter and 3-meter competition. Bjerke claimed the 1-meter event with a 232.40 score while freshman
Kennedy Olson placed runner-up with a count of 217.75. In 3-meter action, Bjerke was exceptional, posting a six-dive score of 244.40, now the third-best score in school history.
Isabelle Johnson would earn runner-up marks for the Dragons in the high dive, securing a score of 231.45.
Ruth Guy would place third in the same event with a score of 211.20.
Relay action would begin the swimming portion of the dual with the Dragon team of
Kelsey Jackson,
Rose Urick,
Fernanda Leon and
Sophia Verke winning the 400-yard medley race. The team posted a finishing time of 4:03.14 while the MSUM team of
Lacie Stark,
Sarah Coe,
Ruth Pavelski and
Joanna Phillips placed runner-up behind a time of 4:18.29. To conclude the meet, the Moorhead squad of
Maggie Moore, Pavelski, Leon and Verke would win the 400-yard freestyle relay with a mark of 3:43.94. The team won by nearly 14 seconds.
Moore would pick up another pair of wins for the Dragons in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle races. The junior marked a 1:59.24 to win the 200-yard leg, claiming victory by nearly six seconds. The Mesa, Ariz., native also won the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 55.10.
Anika Grunenwald (2:05.04) and Jackson (205.88) would place second and third for the Dragons in the 200-yard free while Phillips (57.42) and
Tresa Baumgard (57.46) would grab the same placement in the 100-yard installment.
Baumgard would grab an impressive win the 50-yard freestyle, marking a finishing time of 25.64. Verke (26.05) and Phillips (26.26) would earn runner-up and third place finishes for the Dragons in the same event.
Cami Mayo would earn a win the 1000-yard freestyle with a mark of 11:57.52.
Pavelski would swim a strong 200-yard IM, winning the event with a time of 2:17.97. The junior would win the race by nearly 10 seconds as teammates Urick (2:26.22) and Coe (2:32.11) would place second and third. Urick would win the 200-yard breaststroke with a finishing mark of 2:30.97, winning by almost 10 full seconds. Jackson would win the 200-yard backstroke for the Dragons, clocking a 2:10.61 time.
Adrianna Sullivan (2:22.25) and
Lacie Stark (2:23.04) would place third and fourth in the same event.
Grunenwald would claim another victory in the 500-yard freestyle, touching the wall at 5:36.20.
Claire Schlaefer would place third in the same event with a time of 5:54.25. Leon would conclude the Dragon victories for the day, winning the 200-yard butterfly with an impressive time of 2:08.73. The sophomore was over 20 seconds faster than the runner-up finisher.
Up Next
The Dragons travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., for a dual against the Sioux Falls Cougars on Friday, October 24 at 4 p.m.
