Mustangs fall short in senior day showdown

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Mustang swimmers hit the water in their home pool one last time on Saturday afternoon, as the teams prepare for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships, which take place in February.

Morningside was swimming competitively right away, with the team of Maddy Slaughter, Grace Holzerland, Mackenzie Campbell, and Josie Dike finishing second in the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay, with a time of 1:59.50.

Kicking off the individual events, Kirstin Verplanke touched the wall in first place in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:53.95. In the same event, Haley Snawerdt placed third, with a time of 12:16.77, and Payton Miller placed fifth with a time of 12:57.50.

Emma Larsen was the top Mustang in the 200-yard freestyle placing second with a time of 2:12.75.

In the 50-yard freestyle Makenna Laher and Megan Keller represented Morningside well in a tight race, placing second and third with times of 26.86 and 27.87.

Campbell turned in an individual effort of 1:08.80 in the 100-yard butterfly, placing second.

In the 100-yard freestyle event, Dike touched the wall in first place with a time of 57.81 with Laher and Larsen finishing in third and fourth place with times of 1:00.18, and 1:01.27.

Sydney Lueth swam a time of 1:07.71 in the 100-yard backstroke, good for second place. Teammates Grace Holzerland and Amber Westerberg were right behind her, placing third and fourth with times of 1:11.14 and 1:14.48.

Concluding the meet, Grace Holzerland, Mackenzie Campbell, Makenna Laher, and Josie Dike had a great first place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:46.47.

The Mustang swimmers will be on the road Saturday, Jan. 28 for the Hamline University Invitational in St. Peter, Minn.