MVC Swimmer of the Week: Dora Kiss, Missouri State University, Senior
1000 Free: 10:23.34 (1st out of 5)
200 Free: 1:54.46 (1st out of 8)
500 Free: 4:59.08 (1st out of 6)
Missouri State senior Dora Kiss won all three events she competed in as the Bears picked up a dual victory over reigning NCAA Division II runner-up Drury at Hammons Student Center Friday, Oct. 16. Kiss won the first individual event of the evening by over 10 seconds, taking the 1000-yard freestyle in a time of 10:24.34. Immediately following the 1000 free, Kiss won the next women’s race – the 200 free – leading a group of four Bears that finished in the top five with her touching the wall at 1:54.46. The Budapest, Hungary, native completed her night with a victory in the 500 free. In that final race, Kiss finished in a time of 4:59.08, which was 11 seconds faster than the runner-up in the event. All three of those finishes were among top-three times in the Missouri Valley Conference, including her season-best times she set in the 200 and 500 free.
MVC Diver of the Week: Courtney Coverdale, University of Evansville, Sophomore
Purple Aces sophomore Courtney Coverdale had a stellar meet at the Indiana Intercollegiates, registering a pair of top five finishes. She took third place in the 3-meter dive, registering a score of 265.95. She grabbed another top five in the 1-meter event, taking 5th with a score of 244.75.
Other Notables:
Molly Lembezeder (UNI), Michaela Kent (Evansville); Laura Ruiz Astorga (UA-Little Rock); Savannah Rubocki (IllinoisState); Sarah Kemp (UNI); Samantha Gray (UA-Little Rock)
Week Recap:
The Illinois State swimming team had its first dual meet of the season Friday afternoon at Truman State. After a tough battle, the Redbirds fell to the Bulldogs, 127-78. Savannah Rubocki took first in the 500-yard freestyle (5:09.01) and second in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:35.70). The Redbirds found victory in the 200-yard individual medley relay, by the efforts of Rachel Root, Rachel Holm, Kristin Verkler and Sarah Thomas with a time of 1:48.01. Rachel Holm went on to claim first in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.75).
The Missouri State women’s swimming and diving team defeated the Drury Panthers 150-87 in the ‘Duel in the Pool’ at Hammons Student Center Friday, Oct. 16. Kiss led the MSU women’s team by winning all three of the individual events she competed in. She earned season-bests in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.46) and the 500 free (4:59.08) while also finishing first in the 1000 free with a time of 10 minutes, 23.34 seconds. Also earning multiple victories on the women’s side was freshman Josie Pearson. She placed first with a personal-best 2:07.33 in the 200 butterfly, won the 200 individual medley (2:06.78) and was the third leg of the first-place 400 medley relay squad that included Sydney Zupan, Lauren Pavel and Hope Ernhart. Junior Nina Privitera led the Missouri State diving duo by getting first place behind a personal-best 253.87 points on the 1-meter board and also placed second in 3-meter diving with 252.45 points.
The University of Northern Iowa fell to both Michigan State and the University of Iowa on Friday. The Panthers did not claim any first place finishes in the meet, but had multiple athletes just on the edge of personal bests, including Rachel Siebenaller’s second place finish in the 500 freestyle and Molly Lembezeder’s silver in the 100 freestyle. Sarah Kemp took third in the one-meter dive for the Panthers.
On Saturday, the University of Arkansas Little Rock saw three tough losses from West Florida, Air Force and Tulane in Pensacola, Florida. Freshman Laura Ruiz Astroga claimed the only first place finish for the Trojans in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.79.
Swimming news courtesy of Missouri Valley Conference.