First-Half Momentum Slows At Finish

MOORHEAD, Minn.  (12/07/13)—Concordia won five of the first nine events but slowed down the stretch and lost 135-108 to UM-Morris on Senior Celebration day.

If the meet were a football or basketball game, the Cobbers would have built up a surprising lead at the half but then watched as the Cougars slowly cut into the deficit in the second half and edge CC in the final minutes of play.

Concordia started the meet on a high note by claiming the win in the 200-yard medley relay.

"It was a great way to start the meet," stated Cobber head coach Ron Hehn. ""I like the way we carried the momentum from that first event and continued to post solid results."

The Cobbers' top relay team of Greta Titus, Megan Obrecht, Diana Kempenich and Joleen Baker posted a time of 2:02.20 and won by a scant .12 of a second to earn the 11 team points.

The Cougars earned wins in the next two events but then Concordia rattled off victories in the 50-yard freestyle, 400-yard individual medley and the 1-meter voluntaries event.

Baker started the Cobber trio of wins when she swam a 26.41 in the 50-yard freestyle. That time is a season best for Baker and just .05 off her time at last season's MIAC Championship Meet. Freshman Abbey Benson then continued the win streak by placing first in the 400 IM. She swam a 5:16.02 and won the race by .87 of a second. That time is almost 13 seconds faster than her previous season best. Jana Hedstrom finished off the win string when she recorded 156.60 points in the first 1-meter competition.

Madeline Johnson and Baker recorded a pair of runner-up finishes before Titus gave Concordia its fifth event in the 100-yard backstroke. Johnson clocked a season-best time of 1:09.13 in the 100-yard butterfly before Baker went 58.05 in the 100-yard freestyle. Titus won the 100-yard backstroke with a mark of 1:08.47. Her time was faster than any of her regular-season swims in 2012-13.

Concordia had second and third-place finishes in the 500-yard freestyle before Hedstrom was second in the 1-meter optional round. Emily Wood claimed third place in the second 1-meter event.

Obrecht placed second in the final individual event of the afternoon when she swam a 1:14.21 in the 100-yard breaststroke.  

Other Cobber top 3 finishes at the meet belonged to Rachel Aldinger, Andrea Kittleson, Kayla Rauchwarter and Jordyn Olson.

Concordia will now have an extended training period before returning to competition after the Christmas holiday at the MSU Moorhead Dragon Open on Friday, Jan. 17.