University of Missouri women’s swimming and diving defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 166-134 in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday to begin their conference season with a 1-0 record. Arkansas fell to 0-3 in the SEC.
It was a very close meet, with many if not most events seeing a winning margin of a half-second or less. A win here or there can make all the difference, and this time things came out in the Tigers’ favor.
The host team won six events (freshman diver Nicole Gillis, freshman Taylor Weiss, sophomore Aiden Lister, and juniors Anna Mayfield and Nina Drolc were individual winners) while visiting Missouri prevailed in ten (senior Danielle Barbiea, redshirt junior Abby Duncan and freshman Hannah Stevens took two each).
Mizzou jumped out front with a win in the 200 medley relay from Stevens (26.21), Katherine Ross (28.38), Barbiea (23.72) and Anna Patterson (23.09). Their combined 1:41.40 was exactly .51 faster than the Razorbacks’ Mayfield (26.24), Nikki Daniels (28.62), Susanna White (24.29), and Drolc (22.76).
Lister led wire to wire in the 1000 free. Fellow Razorbacks Rachel Stoehr and Leia Bates were right on her heels through the 300. Lister never strayed far from 1:00-highs to 1:01-low/mids and she began to lose the rest of the heat by the 400. Kira Zubar of Missouri was trading strokes with Stoehr but pulled away at the 700. Stoehr made a heroic attempt to close the gap at the end, but ended up touching third. Final times: Lister (10:10.46), Zubar (10:14.47), Stoehr (10:14.73).
The 200 free was another very close contest, Arkansas’ Mayfield (1:50.29) just edging out Mizzou’s Rachel Hayden (1:50.53) and fellow Razorback Drolc (1:50.91).
The Tigers’ Stevens (55.33) touched out Razorbacks Chelsea Tatlow (55.72) and Liz Braun (57.13) to win the 100 back. Missouri continued the momentum with a 1-2 sweep in the 100 breast, as Duncan (1:01.85) and Ross (1:01.96) both came in ahead of Daniels (1:02.41).
Arkansas picked up some points in the 200 fly thanks to a 1-2-3 finish from three freshmen: Weiss (2:03.40), Jessie Garrison (2:04.67), and Caitlin Sheridan (2:05.01).
In the sprint frees, Mizzou’s Barbiea (23.30) was the victor in the 50, while Arkansas’ Drolc (50.66) took the 100. Second and third in the 50 went to White (Arkansas-23.50) and Patterson (Mizzou-23.84). In the 100 it was Hayden (Mizzou-51.19) and Maddie Monroe (Arkansas-52.10).
Stevens of Missouri picked up her second win with a 1:58.92 squeaker over Razorback Mayfield (1:59.12) in the 200 back. Arkansas freshman Tatlow (2:01.27) was third.
In similar fashion, Duncan won a second breaststroke race, taking the 200 in 2:15.38. Arkansas’ Daniels (2:15.87) held off Ross (2:16.09) to claim second.
Lister (4:58.27) and Stoehr (5:01.42) went 1-2 for Arkansas in the 500 free; Mizzou’s Brittany Hammond (5:03.38) took third.
In one of the rare romps of the contest, Mizzou’s Barbiea won the 100 fly by over three seconds. She touched in 53.45 ahead of teammate Erin Metzger-Seymour (56.65) and Razorback freshman Weiss (56.81).
Missouri’s Ross ended the meet with a 2:02.59 win in the 200 IM. Arkansas’ Tatlow (2:03.84) outsplit Mizzou’s Duncan by a half-second in the free to take second, 2:03.84 to 2:04.31.
The two teams split diving wins, with Mizzou’s Lauren Reedy (299.63 points) winning the one-meter and Arkansas’ Gillis (320.70) the three-meter.
Missouri sealed the win with the 400 free relay, where Hayden (51.10), Patterson (51.02), Stevens (51.31) and Barbiea (49.73) combined for 3:23.16, while Arkansas’ Drolc (51.13), White (50.60), Mayfield (51.11), and Monroe (51.73) touched in 3:24.57.
Great job Tigers. Way to lead upperclassmen. Way to step up freshmen! Keep up the great work!