ABERDEEN, S.D. - Concordia-St. Paul opened its third year of competition with its swimming & diving program by competing in a relay meet hosted by Northern State and also featuring Southwest Minnesota State.

Concordia secured its first event victory of the season in the 3x500 yard freestyle with Laura Vekony leading off, followed by Giulia Cury and anchored by Farida Maher as the trio swam the event in 17:15.70, topping Northern State by nearly four seconds (17:19.38).

Concordia also secured second place finishes in three other races: 3x100 butterfly (Hannah Hartlage, Laura Vekony, Farida Maher), 800 freestyle (Sydney Fleming, Farida Maher, Laura Vekony, Chloe Rihon), and 400 medley (Chloe Rihon, Charly Horn, Hannah Hartlage, Farida Maher) with the 800 free lineup (8:37.63) being edged by just over a second (8:36.43) by Southwest Minnesota State.

The performance in the 800 freestyle relay was the program's first competition in the event, establishing a new school record.

The young and growing program competed in all 10 relay events, with some of the races featuring more than three entrants and as many as five, with CSP not finishing lower than third in any of the 10 relays.

The Golden Bears will return to the pool in Aberdeen on Saturday in a dual against Northern State starting at 1 p.m.

MEET SCORES
SMSU 178, Northern State 124
SMSU 184, Concordia 112
Northern State 140, Concordia 108

RELAY RESULTS
1st - 3x500 yard freestyle, 17:15.70 (Laura Vekony, Giulia Cury, Farida Maher)
2nd - 3x100 yard butterfly, 3:17.77 (Hannah Hartlage, Laura Vekony, Farida Maher)
*2nd - 800 yard freestyle, 8:37.63 (Sydney Fleming, Farida Maher, Laura Vekony, Chloe Rihon)
2nd - 400 yard medley, 4:16.51 (Chloe Rihon, Charly Horn, Hannah Hartlage, Farida Maher)
3rd - 3x100 yard backstroke, 3:21.30 (Sydney Fleming, Emma Granovsky, Stephanie De Leon)
3rd - 3x100 yard breaststroke, 3:59.19 (Chloe Rihon, Giulia Cury, Charly Horn)
3rd - 500 yard freestyle, 5:17.56 (Charly Horn, Emma Granovsky, Stephanie De Leon, Giulia Cury)
3rd - 200 yard freestyle, 1:50.46 (Stephanie De Leon, Hannah Hartlage, Sydney Fleming, Emma Granovsky)
3rd - 400 yard individual medley, 4:30.08 (Sydney Fleming, Charly Horn, Laura Vekony, Chloe Rihon)
3rd - 400 yard freestyle, 3:59.66 (Stephanie De Leon, Hannah Hartlage, Giulia Cury, Emma Granovsky)

* establishes new school record