Meet Results - Statesmen / Lady Statesmen

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - On the second leg of a trip to Missouri, the Delta State swim team found themselves competing against a Drury program that has a combined 20 NCAA D-II National Championships to their record.  Despite being ranked higher in the national polls in the early part of the season, Delta State was defeated on both the men's side (170-67) and on the women's side (145-78).
 
Melanie Tombers picked up the two individual victories for the Lady Statesmen.  Tombers edged teammate Kierstin Page in the 400-IM (4:27.83) with a mark that set a new school record, eclipsing the time set in 2005 by Petra Petrova (4:28.55).  Page was second in the event with a time of 4:30.40, a mark that puts her third in the school record book behind only the old and new records.
 
"Anytime a record is broken it is great to see it happen," commented head coach Dan'l Murray.  "Melanie has been working very hard and adapting to the current training phase.  She is a talented athlete who is not afraid to race.  It was a great swim to watch and we are very proud of her."
 
Tombers would return later and claim another victory, this time in the 500-Freestyle (5:03.73).  The Lady Statesmen 200-Freestyle Relay team also was victorious; with team members Hannah Core, Dani Meerholz, Erin Newman, and Chloe Bennett.
 
Kirsten Stroven was runner-up in the 200-Breaststroke (2:34.19), while Page added another second place finish to her meet with the 200-Backstroke (2:05.19) which is good enough for seventh best all-time in the event for the Lady Statesmen.
 
Matthew Swaine claimed the 1-M diving competition with a total of 270.89, while Conner Bennett was third with a score of 228.82.  That would be the only event that would see the Statesmen atop the standings.
 
Ben Vaughan (9:57.45) and Bryce Anderson (10:02.05) would finish second and third in the 1,000-Freestyle; Fabrice Wendel (47.08) wound up second in the 100-Freestyle.
 
Vlad Zinca ended up with a third place finish in the 200-Butterfly (1:57.40) while Yvan Nys was runner-up in the 200-Backstroke (1:58.32).
 
Delta State has faced a pair of NCAA Division-I programs to start this season before this weekend when they faced the reigning NSISC conference champions in Missouri S&T and the defending national champion Drury Panthers.  This upcoming weekend will see the team hit the road to Arkadelphia, Ark., as they visit Henderson State on Friday, before crossing the road to swim at Ouachita Baptist on Saturday.