Nov. 7, 2014

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On the first day of dual meet competition Friday, the Penn State women's swimming and diving team trails Michigan, 93-74, and Virginia, 94-73.

The Nittany Lions earned 10 top-three finishes on the evening, including an individual victory by junior Katie Rowe (Glenville, N.Y.) and a pool record swim by the 200-yard freestyle relay team.

Rowe picked up Penn State's only individual victory on the evening in the 200-yard butterfly. The Nittany Lions swept the event, taking each of the top three spots and Rowe got a hand to the wall in 2:00.27, a team-best this season. Sophomore Katelyn Sowinksi (Severna Park, Md.) (2:00.47) and junior Kaitlin Jones (Midlothian, Va.) (2:00.73) followed just behind Rowe.

The Nittany Lions started off the night strong as the team of sophomore Katie Saloky (Bloomsburg, Pa.), junior Alyson Ackman (Montreal, Quebec), Jones and senior Carolyn Fittin (Sea Girt, N.J.) topped the field in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:32.02, a season-best for the team and a McCoy Natatorium record.

Senior Megan Siverling (Chester Springs, Pa.) clocked the squad's best time of the year in the 500-yard freestyle with a mark of 4:49.17, good for second place. Ackman matched Siverling's second-place performance in the 100-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 50.11 for another Penn State best on the year.

Dual action against the Wolverines and the Cavaliers continues tomorrow, with events beginning at 11 a.m. at McCoy Natatorium.