ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The Battle of the Ravine brought the intensity once again on Friday night as the Henderson State Red Wave faced rival Ouachita Baptist. While both the men's and women's teams came up short on the scoreboard (the Red Wave Men fell 101-104, while the women fell 87-118), the Reddies delivered standout swims, relay wins, and key time drops that showed the growth and momentum building within the program.
The meet opened with a statement from the women's 200 Medley Relay. Emma Crowe, Monroe Chittum, Raven Roberts, and Shelby Travis teamed up for a winning time of 1:51.04, setting an early tone.
Individually, the Reddies collected several strong performances:
Raven Roberts sprinted to the top spot in the 50 free (25.11), edging OBU by a fingertip.
Iris McNamara dominated the 100 free, taking the win in 55.12.
Emma Crowe continued her impressive season with a victory in the 100 back (58.24).
The women closed the night with another relay victory, taking the 200 freestyle relay in 1:41.03, powered by a clutch anchor from Shelby Travis.
The men's side turned in one of its most competitive showings of the year, falling by only three points thanks to a wave of strong mid-meet performances.
Henderson opened the meet with a win in the 200 Medley Relay, as Avery Henke,Oskar CebulaColin Candebat, and Olivér Pózvai powered to a 1:32.44.
Key highlights for the men included:
Colin Candebat won the 200 freestyle (1:41.03) and 100 butterfly (50.52), leading the way with a double-victory performance.
Oskar Cebula and Avery Henke went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke, with Cebula touching first in 58.10.
Olivér Pózvai finished second in the 100 freestyle race, stopping the clock at 46.12.
The men nearly stole the final relay, finishing just .08 behind OBU in a dramatic 200 freestyle relay duel.
Despite the final score, Henderson showcased depth, fight, and continuous improvement across events on both sides. With conference season approaching, the growth seen Friday night signals a strong path ahead as the Reddies continue sharpening toward championship form.
The Red Wave will return to action January 17th for a dual meet at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.
