The Missouri State men's swimming and diving team outscored the Drury University Panthers 136-107 Saturday, at Hammons Student Center Pool, in the first dual meet between the schools in over 20 years. On the women's side of the meet, the Panthers flipped the score as they won 137-106 over the Bears.
MSU junior Ignacio Gayo led the Bears with three event wins. He swam the anchor leg of the 400 medley relay that took first in 3:24.97 in the first event of the meet. He then dominated sprint freestyle events winning both the 50 free and 100 free in 21.28 and 46.33, respectively.
Eduardo Pajares, Seth Johnson and Victor Serra made up the first three swimmers in the winning 400 medley relay and each grabbed individual wins as well. Pajares won the 200 backstroke, stopping the clock at 1:49.22 and setting a new Hammons Pool record. Pajares replaces Missouri's Matt Farrarelli who set the record in 2002 with a time of 1:49.84. Johnson was the 200 breaststroke champion, touching the wall in 2:04.65 and Serra conquered the 200 IM in 1:51.74.
On the three-meter diving board, Missouri State senior Ryan Maeker racked up 261.00 points and earned himself the win. He placed second in one-meter diving competition with 228.75 points.
In the women's meet, junior Andi Rojas was the lone individual winner for the Bears as she placed first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.03. Rojas was also the second-leg of the Bears' 400 freestyle relay that ended the dual with a win in 3:35.09. Joining Rojas on the relay was freshman Matana Wellman, senior Kyla Meuer, and freshman Breanna Hollar.
On the diving boards, freshman Chelsea Ray was the top scorer for Missouri State. Ray placed second in three-meter competition with 220.60 points and third in one-meter competition with 198.08 points.
Drury's Cara Fadel set new Hammons Pool records in the 200 butterfly and 500 freestyle. Her time of 2:06.55 in the 200 fly breaks Gabriela Flores' of Southern Illinois record of 2:08.48 that she set in 2004. Fadel replaces the 500 free time previously held by Missouri's Jill Granger in 4:58.65 with her winning time of 4:58.34.
The Missouri State swimming and diving teams will be back in action Sat., Dec. 2, as they take on Lindenwood University in St. Peters, Mo. at 1 p.m.
