Swimming axed by Northern Arizona

GREELEY – Returning home for the first time in three weeks, the Northern Colorado swimming & diving team faced a familiar face for Bear fans in Northern Arizona. The two teams are not part of the same conference for swimming & diving though the schools face each other in 14 other sports.

In the pool, the Lumberjacks got the better of the Bears, winning 160.5-82.5 on Friday evening. Northern Colorado won two of the 13 events, including a 1-2-3 sweep of the 50 free.

"The girls raced tired tonight," said Head Coach Kelly McClanahan. "But, they did a great job fighting all the way to the end.  These girls have yet to give up a race easily. This was our last dual meet of the fall semester and racing virtually every weekend for five weeks straight is bound to break the girls down.  The more you train, the better you swim, and we haven't had a full week of training since late September. We are all looking forward to coming off the racing circuit, and getting back in the pool to get our endurance back up.  The girls are taking their races out great, but just don't have enough to hold on at the end, however we are right where I expect us to be at this point in our season.  The down time is really going to help us get re-focused on our training, and prepare for our big meet at UNLV in December."

Senior JJ Smith won the 50 free in 25.07, while freshman Brenna Boese placed second in 25.57 and freshman Jessica Reed-Baum completed the sweep in 25.80.

Sophomore Gina Riggle brought home the other title for the Bears, winning the 100 breast in 1:06.99 and sophomore Renee Stephens timed a 1:08.70 for fourth.

"Gina continues leading the charge in the breaststroke," said McClanahan. "She was just a bit off her season best time.  Renee also turned in a great time, just missing her season best time as well."

The quartet of sophomore Courtney Van Oost, Stephens, Riggle and Smith finished second in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:50.64.

Van Oost was also second in the 200 IM after clocking a 2:15.56, while Riggle and Van Oost finished back-to-back in the 100 butterfly.

Junior Sara Moldenhauer placed third in the three-meter diving with a score of 264.00 and was third in the one-meter board with her score of 266.10. Her one-meter score is an NCAA Zone cut and the second-highest score of her career.

"I am so proud of Sara getting her zone cut at this meet," said McClanahan. "Kevin (Oswalt) has been doing a great job with the divers.  They have both been performing consistently well this season."

Boese also came back for second in the 100 free after swimming a 55.30, while senior Sammy Leonard was also second in the 100 back in 1:01.42.

Freshman Gina Cernohous posted a season-best time in the 500 freestyle, timing a 5:21.75 for second place.

The meet concluded with the quartet of Boese, Reed-Baum, Kira Alger and Smith touching the wall second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:40.63.

"All in all, I am extremely happy and proud of these girls for the way they have performed on the boards and in their races this first half," said McClanahan. "It's a long season, and we still have half of it to go.  But, with the showing they have made so far, I expect only great things are yet to come."