University of Missouri
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Kansas
Tigers Pluck Rival Jayhawks in Border Showdown Clash
10/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming & Diving
Oct. 26, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. - In what was a spirit-filled atmosphere that showed every sign of the bitter MU-KU rivalry, the No. 20 Missouri women's swimming and diving team (2-1, 1-1 Big 12) overwhelmed the Kansas Jayhawks down the stretch to earn their second win of the season by a score of 162-138. The Tigers, who beat the Jayhawks at home for only the second time in their 25-meet history, have now won seven of the last eight matchups between the two teams.
"This is only the second time we have ever won here in Lawrence, so it is a very difficult place to come," said Missouri Head Coach Brian Hoffer. "Our upperclassmen's leadership really came through today. I am very pleased with Colleen Gordon. The 1000 free was one of the most exciting races we have had for awhile and set the tone early on. Kansas swam hard tonight, but we found a way and used our depth to get the win."
In the evening's first half of events, Mizzou claimed the opening relay and split the next six individual events with the Jayhawks. The difference maker in this six-event stretch was the Tigers' five third-place and four fourth-place showings.
Mizzou's 200 medley relay quartet of seniors Taye Patterson, Jill Bastien, Arica Jacinto and junior Lauren Cox put the Tigers on top first by combining for the win in a time of 1:45.99.
Up next was the 1000 free, which brought the crowd to the edge of their seats. Sophomore Colleen Gordon paced herself throughout the majority of the race and quickly closed the gap between her and her Kansas counterpart down the stretch to claim a thrilling win in a time of 10:02.30.
Team captain and junior Lori Halvorson fed off of Gordon's momentum and swam to a runner-up finish in the 200 free in a time of 1:50.62. Freshman Francie Szostak tallied another couple points for the Tigers with her fourth-place finish, which she swam in a time of 1:51.91.
Riding the wave of their relay win earlier in the evening, Patterson and Bastien then led Tiger 1-3-4 finishes in the following two races, respectively. Patterson paced the field in the 100 back to earn her fourth individual win of the season in a time 57.09. In her bid to remain undefeated on the season in the 100 breast, Bastien followed her classmate's efforts with a win of her own (1:04.58). The senior now has three wins in the event in 2007-08.
In her first event of the evening, junior Jill Granger was edged in the 200 fly (2:04.87) by less than a tenth of a second. Mizzou newcomer Melissa Jamerson earned her second top-three finish in the event this season in a time of 2:05.90.
The Tigers went 2-3 again in the following 50 free. Senior Kate Gates recorded a runner-up finish in a time of 24.47 with Cox just behind in a time of 24.67.
Mizzou entered the 1-meter diving break with a comfortable lead over the Jayhawks. In the diving well, junior Kendra Melnychuk kept her team out in front with a second-place score of 268.43 on the one-meter board. Freshman Abby Zepeda tallied a point for the Tigers with her fifth-place score of 201.07.
As the Tigers headed into the night's second half of action their depth rose to the surface. After Halvorson's runner-up finish in the 100 free (51.98), freshman Lauren Lavigna ignited a Tiger five race winning streak with her first-place showing in the 200 back (2:03.63). Senior co-captain Sarah Menefee chipped in a third-place finish in the event in a time of 2:06.68.
After a strong exhibition swim in the 100 breast earlier in the night, junior Erin Yeager burst onto the scene with an impressive win in the 200 portion of the event in a time of 2:20.24. The Minnetonka, Minn. native edged teammate Bastien (2:21.90) for the win, her first of the season.
Granger followed Yeager's lead in what was a 1-2 finish in the 500 free for the Tigers. The junior school record holder raced to the win in a time of 5:00.12. Szostak clocked a 5:00.41 to take second in the race.
In the 100 fly to follow, Gordon returned to the pool to swim the front end of another Mizzou 1-2 finish in a time of 56.18. Senior co-captain Arica Jacinto was next to the wall, finishing in a time of 56.97.
Next up was the 3-meter diving break, though it was not much of a break for Canadian sensation Melnychuk. The junior moved up a spot from her performance in the 1-meter competition to claim her fourth win of the season on the 3-meter board (320.33) in convincing fashion. Zepeda again took fifth-place with a score of 227.70.
With the win all but clenched in their paws, the Tigers looked to close out the night with a good fight. Gordon made sure this was the case in a tight 200 IM tussle. The sophomore standout finished the race just two-tenths of a second out of first place in a time of 2:05.97.
The 400 free relay brought an end to Friday's Border Showdown action. The quartet of Halvorson, Cox, Szostak and Patterson combined for a 3:29.13 clocking to lead the Tigers to a 2-3 finish and officially seal a Mizzou victory in rival waters.
Fans can catch the Tigers back in action when both the men and women host Virginia Tech, Illinois, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Drury at the Mizzou Dual Challenge, Nov. 2-4 at the Mizzou Aquatics Center.
Players Mentioned
