ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Delta State University Swimming & Diving teams invaded Ouachita Baptist University's Aquatics Complex, pulling off a split with the Tigers.  The Lady Statesmen won their fourth-consecutive dual meet 127-96 over OBU, while the Tigers downed the Statesmen 147-87.  

The Lady Statesmen won the opening 200 Medley relay and used that momentum to get past Ouachita Baptist. Winning that race were Alyce Meador, Stormi Valentine, Amanda Guidry and Mary Katherine Waddell.

Hannah Willis also turned in an impressive performance in the win by taking the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:47:55. Valentine swam a season best of 1:09:27 and won the 100 breaststoke.

But the Lady Statesmen swimmer that came through in the clutch was Samantha Fajardo, who won the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and in the anchor leg of the 200 freestyle relay, she came from behind and won the relay, which sealed the victory for the Lady Statesmen.

Coach Brian Hein was very pleased with his Lady Statesmen swimming and diving squad.

"The women came out and took care of business in a tough environment. They swam through that adversity of being down early without the diving points."

Diver Hannah Mantooth is out due to an injury.

The Statesmen lost their half of the meet though to the Tigers.

Highlighting the loss though were a great performances by Wolfgang Mairinger and Cameron Weidele.

Mairinger won the 1000 freestyle with a time of 9:45:57 and took the 500 freestyle as well, with a time of 4:45: 93.

Weidele also participated in the 3 meter diving event to secure the points for the Statesmen, and he finished second on the board. But to top that, the next event, Weidele hopped in the pool and and swam the anchor leg of the 200 freestyle relay team that took first with a time of 1:25:87. Steven Ingvoldstad, Justin Ingvoldstad, Deniz Guner and Weidele swam in that relay and secured the win.

Hein, although the loss was a tough one, found a positive in the effort.

"We swam against a tough team in Ouachita Baptist," he said. "They have national champions on their squad. But we have to learn from this for the Christmas Invitational."

The Statesmen and Lady Statesmen swimming and diving teams will hit the pool again for the Delta State Christmas Invitational December 19th in Cleveland.