GREELEY, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University women's swimming team combined for five event wins and 19 total top-three finishes but dropped a 145-117 NCAA inter-divisional dual to the Division I University of Northern Colorado on Thursday afternoon here in the Bears' Butler-Hancock Pool.
The Division II Mavericks are now 1-1 on the young season after trouncing Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Western Colorado, 190-90 at home in their season-opener on Saturday. UNC was competing for the first time this season and claimed both relay wins while performing especially strong in the sprint freestyle events to claim the victory in what was the first time that the teams had faced off in nearly five years.
Reigning RMAC Swimmer of the Week
Lily Borgenheimer swept the breaststroke events in Thursday's matinee to lead CMU, taking the 100-yard event in one minute, 5.75 seconds before coming back to dominate the 200 in 2:22.82.
Meanwhile, freshman
Katerina Matoskova won a tight 200 free in 1:57.02 while junior transfer
Kelsea Wright was second in 1:57.21.
Lauren White also pulled out a thrilling victory in the 100 back, out-touching UNC's Katelyn Bergin by a single one-hundredth of a second. White was clocked in 58.43 seconds while Bergin was second in 58.44. Maverick junior
Sarah Fillerup was just behind in third with a time of 58.47 while freshman
Elsa Huebsch took fourth in 58.47 to help pull the Mavericks within two points (38-36) in the team chase after four events.
Borgenheimer's 100 breast win, which makes her the No. 6 performer in Maverick history in that discipline, then helped the Mavericks take their first and only lead, 48-45.
However, the Bears would go on to win the next four races, building a 104-84 cushion before Borgenheimer's second win stopped the streak.
Later, CMU senior
Kennedy Bright rounded out CMU's last of winners, as she claimed victory in the 200 IM with a time of 2:13.07. Huebsch took second in 2:14.51.
Elsewhere, the Mavs "A" squad took second in both relays as the 200 medley relay squad of Matoskova, Borgenheimer,
Maddie Pressler and
Logan Anderson touched in 1:49.28. White, Wright, Anderson and
Maddie Pressler then combined for a time of 3:36.65 in the 400 free relay. The "B" team of Matoskova,
Noel Scott,
Natalie Saul and
Anna Barjenbruch finished third in 3:38.57.
In earlier individual events,
Robyn Naze finished third in the 1,000 free with a time of 10:56.83 before Matoskova and Wright led CMU in the 200-yard event.
In the 200 fly, senior
Isabelle Hansson finished second in 2:12.29 before
Noel Scott took fourth to lead the Mavs in the 50 free with a time of 25.13 seconds.
Wright was the top Maverick in the 100 free, placing fourth in 54.45 while Matoskova finished second in the 200 back with a time of 2:05.89 as she moved into the No. 9 spot in program history with the altitude-adjustment, which converts her time to 2:04.69. Huebsch (2:07.90) and Fillerup (2:07.97) were third and fourth, respectively.
The Mavericks also took two of the top three spots in the 500 free as
Grace Payton finished second in 5:17.17 while Wright was third in 5:18.03.
Pressler was second in the 100 fly at 59.90.
The Mavericks will now return home to prepare for the annual A3 Performance Invitational, which they will host Nov. 19-21. UNC is also to compete in that meet, which will serve as CMU's last of the 2020 portion of the season.
