Southern Illinois and Drury Prove No Match for Tigers

Women Win Easily during First Day of Mizzou Dual Challenge

Nov. 2, 2007

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri women's swimming and diving team rolled over their Southern Illinois and Drury competition in Friday's first day of Mizzou Dual Challenge action. The Tigers scored triple digits in both victories, including a 124.5-42.5 win over defending NCAA Division II national champion Drury and a 115-52 triumph over the Salukis.

"The team swam well today," said Missouri Head Coach Brian Hoffer. "The women really focused on what they needed to do to win. They raced hard in each individual race and swam in the moment. Even though a couple of the women swam some secondary events, they still brought that same intensity."

The women opened Friday's action with a thrilling win in the 200 free relay. Seniors Katie Gates and Taye Patterson combined with juniors Lauren Cox and Lori Halvorson for the win in a time of 1:35.65, just three-hundredths of a second ahead of the runner-up Southern Illinois squad.

In the night's first individual event, sophomore Colleen Gordon continued her hot streak and led a Tiger 1-3-4-5 finish in the 200 free in a time of 1:52.12. Junior Carly Sullivan claimed third in a time of 1:53.56 to edge Canadian teammates freshman Lauren Lavigna (1:54.40) and junior Allie Bennett (1:56.57).

Junior and fellow Texan Jill Granger also did the Lone Star state proud Friday in the following 200 IM when she swam to a first-place finish in a time of 2:07.34. Senior Jill Bastien finished second in a time of 2:07.71 with fellow senior Sarah Menefee rounding out the top-three (2:10.39).

Patterson was next up for the Tigers in the 100 back. The Valdes Monts, Quebec native tallied a second-place showing in the race in a time of 56.67. Taking fourth was Patterson's 200 free relay teammate, Cox, who touched in at 57.86.

After earning her first win of the season in the 200 breast at Kansas last week, junior Erin Yeager returned to the pool Friday for a second-place finish in the 100 portion of the event in a time of 1:06.21. Freshman Morgan McCleery earned her second career top-three finish in a time of 1:06.57 with junior Kayla Bowcutt clocking in fourth in a time of 1:07.05.

Senior co-captain Arica Jacinto recorded the first win of her senior campaign in the 100 fly, which she finished in a time of 56.45. Freshman Melissa Jamerson got on the board for the Tigers with her fourth-place showing in the event (58.20).

The Tiger quartet of Patteson, Bastien, Gordon and Halvorson pooled their talents in the evening's final race, the 400 medley relay, which they won in a time of 3:48.55.

The Mizzou women will be back in action Saturday for day two of the Mizzou Dual Challenge. The Tigers take to the pool against Missouri State at 12:00 p.m. and return in the day's second session to take on rival Illinois at 6:30 p.m.