Jumping Back Into Action After A 42-Day Break

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/17/15)—Concordia returned to action after a 42-day break for the Christmas holiday and finished fourth at the annual MSU Moorhead Dragon Invite.

Freshman Ann Marie O'Connell put in a full weekend's work as she posted four top 10 finishes at the two-day meet. Her best finish came in the 1650-yard freestyle where she finished third with a final time of 19:43.10. Her third-place finish was the highest for any Cobber at the meet that featured mostly NCAA Division II teams.

O'Connell was a part of a Concordia contingent that posted six different top 5 finishes.

Besides her third-place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle, O'Connell was also seventh in the 400-yard individual medley and recorded ninth-place finishes in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley. O'Connell's finishing time in the 1650-yard freestyle is a season best and she is the first CC swimmer to break the 20-minute mark in the event this year.

Sarah Nelson and Libby Hardwick were the only two Concordia athletes to have more than one top 5 finish at the meet. Nelson was fifth in both the 200-yard butterfly and 100-yard butterfly while Hardwick was fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and came home in fifth place in the 200-yard backstroke.

Lily Johnson was the final member of the Cobbers to claim a spot in the top 5. She swam a 5:51.53 in the 500-yard freestyle and finished in fifth place.  

Siri Berry and Jordyn Olson also had successful meets as both athletes recorded three different top 10 finishes. Berry was sixth in the 200-yard butterfly and 10th in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle. Olson made her mark in the distance events. She was seventh in the 500-yard freestyle, eighth in the 1650-yard freestyle and 10th in the 400-yard individual medley.

Concordia will now start their more frequent competition schedule as they start to prepare for the MIAC Championship Meet on Feb. 19-21. The Cobbers will swim in a dual meet at Hamline on Friday, Jan. 30 and then stay in the Twin Cities to participate in the St. Catherine Invite on Saturday, Jan. 31.          

Cobber Top 10 Finishes at the Dragon Invite
200-yard backstroke - Libby Hardwick – 5th – 2:22.33
200-yard butterfly – Sarah Nelson – 5th – 2:28.91
200-yard butterfly – Siri Berry – 6th – 2:28.94
1650-yard freestyle – Ann Marie O'Connell – 3rd – 19:43.10
1650-yard freestyle – Joleen Plekkenpool – 7th – 20.11.26
1650-yard freestyle – Jordyn Olson – 8th – 20:24.60
400-yard individual medley – Ann Marie O'Connell – 7th – 5:12.68
400-yard individual medley – Jordyn Olson – 10th - 5:25.30
1-meter diving – Kayla Rauchwarter – 8th – 287.90
200-yard freestyle – Lily Johnson – 10th – 2:12.30
100-yard butterfly – Sarah Nelson – 5th – 1:04.90
100-yard butterfly – Siri Berry – 10th – 1:06.48
100-yard freestyle – Siri Berry – 10th – 59.80
100-yard backstroke – Libby Hardwick – 4th – 1:06.54
100-yard breaststroke – Ann Marie O'Connell – 9th – 1:19.18
500-yard freestyle – Lily Johnson – 5th – 5:51.53
500-yard freestyle – Jordyn Olson – 7th – 5:49.95
500-yard freestyle – Katrina Teskey – 9th – 6:04.58
200-yard individual medley – Ann Marie O'Connell – 9th – 2:28.57