Mizzou Dominates Show-Me Showdown, Nick Alexander Doubles Up

2018 SHOW-ME SHOWDOWN

• October 5th, 2018
• Columbia, MO
• Results
• Scores
  • Men
    • Missouri 674
    • Missouri State University 357
    • Lindenwood University 354.50
    • Drury University 301
    • Washington University St. Louis 241.50
  • Women
    • Missouri 709
    • Missouri State 511.50
    • Drury University 338
    • Lindenwood University 294
    • Washington University St. Louis 252

Invite hosts Missouri dominated, winning most events and all relays on both the men’s and women’s sides.

WOMEN’S MEET

In the opening 200 medley relays, Missouri went 1-2 on the women’s and men’s sides. For the women, key splits were Haley Hynes‘ 24.96 backstroke lead-off and a 24.04 fly leg from Annie Ochitwa as they cruised to a 1:41.46 win.

With All-American backstroker Hannah Stevens no longer in the picture, Hynes will be counted on as the top sprint backstroker in the program. The junior backed up her medley lead-off with a 23.10 split on the Tigers’ winning 200 free relay and took a win in the 100 back (54.45).

Ochitwa, meanwhile, took the 200 IM (2:04.14) just ahead of teammates Kylie Dahlgren (2:04.33) and Amanda Smith (2:04.59). She was a double winner, later sailing to victory in the 100 fly (55.28), and capping things off with a 50.55 anchor leg on Mizzou’s winning 400 free relay.

Sophomore Sammie Jo Porter was another double winner, taking the 100 free (51.89) and 200 free (1:50.35), while freshman Ana Pozder earned her first NCAA win with a 4:58.34.

MEN’S MEET

For the men, the Mizzou B team upset the A team by a mere hundredth.

Nick Alexander was 22.53 on back for the B team and Caleb Hicks 24.99 on breast, with freshmen holding it down on the back half: Danny Kovac was 21.48 on fly and Kyle Leach anchored at 20.34. The A team was lifted by a 24.85 breast split by Jordan O’Brien and a 19.98 anchor from Luke Mankus, but a 22.71 from Daniel Hein and a 21.81 fly split from Micah Slaton ultimately put them just a hundredth too far behind. The B team was 1:29.34 to edge the A’s 1:29.35.

Kovac was a sought-after recruit in high school and put an exclamation point on his summer with an 18 & under title in the 100 fly at U.S. Nationals and a 4×100 medley relay gold medal for Team USA at Junior Pan Pacs. Today, in addition to his T-field’s-fastest medley relay split, he took 2nd in the 200 IM (1:50.08) and the 100 fly (48.68), while splitting a 44.52 on Mizzou’s winning 400 free relay.

Giovanny Lima and Nick Alexander came up big for the Tigers with two wins each. Lima was 1:37.60 to dominate the 200 free, helped himself to a 4:28.35 victory in the 500 free, and was 45.41 leading off their 400 free relay (and 20.52 anchoring the 200 free relay). Alexander, for his part, put up a strong 1:47.53 to win the 200 IM, and finished first in the 100 back (48.24).

Missouri State was led by Artur Osvath, who stole a win from the Tigers. He was 48.68 to edge Kovac in the 100 fly, while adding a 55.70 for 2nd in the 100 breast ahead of his teammate Blair Bish (55.78) and Mizzou’s O’Brien (55.97). Taking the win there was Lindenwood’s Justin Winnett (54.53).