Dec. 7, 2002
LEXINGTON, Ky. -
The University of Missouri women's swimming and diving team traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to take on the University of Kentucky Wildcats in a nonconference dual meet. The women's team (8-0, 3-0 in the Big 12) returned to Columbia with a 177-121 victory over the Wildcats.
The #19 women's swimming and diving team extended their dual meet win streak to 18, the second longest active win streak of the Division I teams in the top 25.
"It's great that we kept the streak going, but I'm more proud on how the girls swam," said Head Coach Brian Hoffer. "If we would have lost and swam very good I would have been just as proud. The streak is nice to have, but I'm more worried with how our athletes perform and not wins and loses right now."
The women's team won 11 out of the 16 events in earning a convincing win against a tough Southeastern Conference opponent. The Tigers set the tone by winning the first event, placing first and second in the 400 medley relay. The "A" team of Sarah Lo, Tiffany Bohon, Liz Schoborg and Andrea Nigh won the relay with a time of 3:50.83 just ahead of the "B" team (Amanda Morford, Mariona Costa, Becca Dawson and Lindsay Palbykin), who finished with a time of 3:53.15.
Lo was the top performer for the women's team winning three individual events to go with her relay victory. She won the 100 (56.99) and 200 (2:04.98) backstrokes and the 200 individual medley (2:07.48).
"Right now Sarah is swimming as well as anyone in the nation," said Hoffer. "She's getting better with every meet and I hope she continues training harder during the winter break, so she can make a run at the NCAA's."
Senior Katy Chandler has an impressive meet, winning two individual events. She won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.10 and beat teammate Rebecca Wolfe in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:04.27. Wolfe would end up finishing in second with a time of 5:06.68 and freshman Laura Pontecore finished fourth with a time of 5:08.35. Wolfe set a new personal best in the 1,000 freestyle with her time of 10:14.79, she ended up second in the race getting out-touched by Kentucky's Cami Miller (10:14.20). Wolfe would get her first place finish in the 200 butterfly (2:05.52).
The 100 breaststroke had three Tigers finish in the top four places in the closest race of the day. Senior Tiffany Bohon won with a time of 1:05.91 followed by Kentucky's Shantel Commander (1:06.02), and the Tiger's Mariona Costa (1:06.22) and Leslie Hoh (1:06.36).
Andrea Nigh continued her unbeaten streak in the sprint freestyles to 11-0 (5-0 in the 50 free, 6-0 in the 100 free). She won both the 50 (23.81) and 100 (52.14) freestyles.
Freshman Liz Schoborg won the 100 butterfly (57.48) as the Tiger's finished 1-2-3. Dawson finished second with a time of 59.30 and Belinda Wood finished third with a time of 59.32.
The women's team depth was the deciding factor of the meet as they consistently put three swimmers in the top five finishes throughout the meet.
Other top finishers for the women's team were Palbykin placing third in the 200 freestyle (1:55.16). Morford finishing second in the 200 (2:07.19) and third in the 100 backstroke (58.99). Megan Morford finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:09.60). Costa finished in second in the 200 breaststroke (2:22.53). Dawson also added a third place finish in the 200 butterfly (2:07.60). Senior Ellen Cross had two third place finishes in both the 50 (24.74) and 100 (53.26) freestyles.
For the women's diving team freshman Joanna Lawrence placed third in the 1-meter board (218.63) and Anna Massey finished third in the 3-meter (233.10).
The women's team next compete in Tempe, Arizona on January 4, 2003 in an exhibition meet against host Arizona State and Wyoming during their winter training season before resuming their regular season with a home dual meet against Southwest Missouri State on January 18.
MEET NOTES: Rebecca Wolfe's 1,000 freestyle time of 10:14.79 ranks her third all-time in school history...Sophomore diver Amanda Maret saw her first action since fracturing her finger against Kansas on November 1. She finished fifth in the 3-meter with a score of 219.83...The women's dual meet winning streak is second only to #1 Auburn's current dual streak. Auburn has won 29 straight duals heading into this weekend.