Oct. 18, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Multi-win performances by sophomores Kaitlin Jones (Midlothian, Va.) , (Glenville, N.Y.) and Melissa Rodriguez (Chihuahua, Mexico) helped lead the Penn State women's swimming and diving team to a 152-102 victory over West Virginia in the Nittany Lions' season opener on Friday evening. The win marks newly appointed head coach Tim Murphy's first victory at the helm of the PSU program.
PSU won 10 of the 16 events and registered a one-two-three finish in seven of those.
Jones, Rowe and Rodriguez each won two individual events for the Nittany Lions on Friday night. Jones claimed the 100 free with a time of 51.33 and touched first in the 200 free in 1:50.09. Rowe recorded a first place finish in the 200 fly with a time of 2:00.48 and won the 200 backstroke in 2:03.00. Rodriguez won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.29 and claimed first in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:18.87.
The 200 medley relay team of Mackenzie Powers (Sycamore, Ill.), Rodriguez, Carolyn Fittin (Sea Girt, N.J.) and Katelyn Miller (Hershey, Pa.) gave the Lions their first 11 points of the meet, winning the race with a time of 1:42.91. Junior Megan Siverling (Chester Springs, Pa.) touched first in the 1000 freestyle, turning in a time of 10:08.91.
Casey Fazio (Washington, N.J.), Anna Farnsworth (State College, Pa.) and Stefanie Schmidt (Victoria, B.C.) posted a one-two-three finish in the 100 backstroke. Fazio touched the wall in 57.31, followed by Farnsworth in 58.59 and Schmidt in 59.27.
The 100 breaststroke was up next and Chelsea Weedman (Poway, Calif.) and Haley Sinatro (West Hartford, Conn.) followed Rodriguez for a clean sweep of the event. Weedman posted a time of 1:04.82 and Sinatro trailed closely in 1:05.10.
Katelyn Sowinski (Severna Park, Md.) and Gabi Shishkoff (Franklin, Mass.) piled on more points for Penn State after finishing second and third in the 200 butterfly. Sowinski clocked in at 2:01.51 and Shishkoff touched the wall in 2:02.08.
Fittin posted the top time in the 50 free, finishing in 23.71, and was followed by Kaitlin Saloky (Bloomsburg, Pa.) at 23.84 and Miller at 23.87.
West Virginia notched its first win of the meet on the one-meter board as Haily Vane Poel recorded a score of 285.22. The Mountaineers claimed first place on the three-meter board as well with Vande Poel turning in a score of 300.83. Senior Megan Springsteen (Owego, N.Y.) finished third on the one-meter board with a score of 254.70.
Megan Wujciak (Livingston, N.J.) touched second in the 100 free with a time of 52.25 and Miller claimed third in 52.26. Siverling had the top time in the 500 free, clocking in at 4:56.98, and Powers led the way in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.41.
Shishkoff and Weedman recorded the quickest times in the 200 IM in 2:03.18 and 2:04.99, respectively, to close out the individual events. The Nittany Lion quartet of Alyson Ackman (Montreal, Quebec), Jones, Wujciak and Fazio touched first in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:26.73 to wrap up the meet.
The Blue and White return to action on November 8 and 9 as they travel to Virginia for a two-day competition against the Cavaliers, West Virginia and Texas. The four squads will face off at the Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center.
Event Winners
200 Medley Relay; 1:42.91 (M. Powers, M. Rodriguez, C. Fittin, K. Miller)
1000 Free; Megan Siverling; 10:08.91
200 Free; Kaitlin Jones; 1:50.09
100 Back; Casey Fazio; 57.31
100 Breasstroke; Melissa Rodriguez; 1:04.29
200 Fly; Katie Rowe; 2:00.48
50 Free; Carolyn Fittin; 23.71
100 Free; Kaitlin Jones; 51.33
200 Back; Katie Rowe; 2:03.00
200 Breaststroke; Melissa Rodriguez; 2:18.87