Tigers Host Jayhawks In Swim & Dive Showdown
10/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 30, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The No. 18 Missouri women's swimming and diving team (0-1, 0-1 Big 12) plays host to archrival Kansas (2-1, 1-0 on Saturday in a Border Showdown battle. Though the newest rankings won't be released until late Thursday or early Friday, both teams could be in the top-25, setting up a big early season conference meet. If both squads find themselves in the top-25 of the rankings, this meet will mark the first time ever that two Missouri and Kansas teams faced off against one another. The action is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. CT at the Mizzou Aquatic Center.
"This is a meet that used to be one-sided (in KU's favor). It took us a long time to beat them for the first time," said Missouri Head Coach Brian Hoffer. "This could be the best Kansas team we've ever faced. There are going to be a lot of competitive races, and we have to find a way to win."
"Our current senior class lost to them three years ago in Lawrence," said Hoffer. "Since then, we have won the past two meetings. The seniors are very motivated to get one more win before they graduate, we just have to hope the rest of the team gets fired up as well."
Scouting Kansas
Kansas enters the meet with a 2-1 (0-1 Big 12) record on the season. They opened their 2008-09 campaign with a big 149-147 victory over No. 20 Arizona State, and followed that up with a 193-103 win over Northern Arizona. The following week, the Jayhawks dropped a 133-106 decision to No. 9 Texas A&M. The Jayhawks then tied Missouri for third-place the next day at the Big 12 Relays, with each team scoring 62 points. Kansas is lead by seniors Danielle Herrmann, a two-time NCAA qualifier, and Maria Mayrovich, who finished in the top-eight in three events at the Russian Olympic Trials.
Last Time They Met
Last year, the Tigers traveled to Lawrence, Kan., and upended the Jayhawks in their home pool for only the second time ever, beating KU 162-138. Mizzou's 200 medley relay team of Taye Patterson, Jill Bastien, Arica Jacinto, who have all graduated, and senior Lauren Cox put the Tigers up early. Junior Colleen Gordon earned a thrilling victory in the 1000 free, while senior Kendra Melnychuk took gold on the 3-meter, her fourth victory on the season.
A Bitter Rivalry
While Kansas dominated Missouri for a long stretch back in the day, the Tigers have now won eight of the last ten meetings, dating back to 1998.
Last Week
The Tigers took the trip down I-70 to Lawrence, Kan., last week for two days of conference action. On Thursday, Mizzou fell to No. 9 Texas A&M by a score of 134-104. Sophomore Francie Szostak took the lone individual title for the women on the evening, taking gold in the 500 free after finishing in 4:57.38. The Tigers' "A" squad of seniors Lori Halvorson, Lauren Cox, Allie Bennett and Szostak would finish in first in the 400 free relay later in the evening, touching at 3:29.44. In the well, freshman Jordan Morcom took gold twice in her first dual as a collegiate diver, sweeping both diving events. Morcom scored 269.90 in the 1-meter, and followed that up with a score of 294.50 in the 3-meter.
The following day, Missouri took on the rest of the conference in the annual Big 12 Relays, where they finished the meet with 62 points and in a third place tie with the Jayhawks. The women scored seven top-three finishes on the day. Seniors Jill Granger and Carly Sullivan combined with junior Colleen Gordon to post Missouri's lone second-place finish on the day, finishing the 1500 free in 15:10.10. The diving twosome of Melnychuk and Morcom posted big scores for Missouri. The duo finished second behind Kansas in the 1-meter after scoring 266.80 points. In the 3-meter, Melnychuk and Morcom struck gold with their score of 297.90 points to help push them in a tie with KU.
Best of the Rest
On Wednesday, the Big 12 Conference announced that freshman Jordan Morcom was named the league's Diver of the Month for October. Morcom shined during her first week of her collegiate career, capping off an already impressive week by sweeping both the 1-meter (269.90) and 3-meter (294.95) against No. 9 Texas A&M. The following day, Morcom teamed with Melnychuk at the Big 12 Relays, where the duo would take gold in the 3-meter (297.90) and earn a runner-up finish in the 1-meter (274.85). To open the season, the Grapevine, Texas, native scored the most points in the 1-meter team scramble, helping the women take gold in the event.
Welcome to the Big Show
Along with Morcom, Missouri's freshmen have had a big impact to start their collegiate careers. Kayla Durnil has tallied four top-four finishes so far in the season, including two runner-up spots. Durnil took second in the 100 breast (1:07.00) at the Show Me Showdown, and followed that up with a second-place finish in the 200 breast (2:21.14) versus Texas A&M. Lisa Nathanson struck gold for the first time as a Tiger at the Show Me Showdown, winning the 50 free in 23.98. Amber Molina tallied two top-five finishes at the Show Me Showdown, one in the 50 back (28.31) and another in the 100 back (58.27).
Schedule of Events
200 Medley Relay
1000 Free
200 Free
100 Back
100 Breast
200 Fly
50 Free
3-Meter Diving
100 Free
200 Back
200 Breast
500 Free
100 Fly
1-Meter Diving
200 IM
400 Free
Players Mentioned
