Nov. 4, 2016
| PENN STATE at VIRGINIA/MICHIGAN | |
Men: No. 6 Michigan 129, Penn State-38 | |
Day 1 | Friday, Nov. 4 | |
| UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center | Charlottesville, Va. | |
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. ââ'¬" Senior Penn State men's swimmer Shane Ryan (Havertown, Pa.) set a University of Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center pool record in the 100 freestyle Friday evening with a time of 43.09 seconds, besting the fastest time in the nation entering the weekend, to lead the Nittany Lions through nine events of a two-day double dual meet against Michigan and Virginia Friday.
Despite the Ryan's time and several season-best performances the Penn State men trail No. 6 Michigan, 129-38, and No. 25 Virginia, 109-57. The Penn State women also posted several season-best times, but trail No. 1 Michigan, 131-35, and No. 6 Virginia, 128-39.
"[Going into the meet], I reiterated that at the end of the day they need to be athlete, a better teammate and a better team, and I think we some steps in that direction," said head coach Tim Murphy. "[Tonight]. I'm going to remind them to get used to and to get comfortable with this environment because this is what we have to learn to adapt to. There were some good things, some solid things, and then some things that each individualcan obviously see that they need to work on. That's part of the process, so it's all to be expected."
Ryan's pool record performance led a quartet of podium finishes for the Penn State men.
"I thought it was good," said Murphy on Ryan's swim. "I thought it was aggressive and there were some things that showed up in reference to strengths and weaknesses. I pointed out both to him as part of the process, but I liked the way he got out and went after it."
Ryan also led the 400 medley relay team to a second-place finish in 3:15.23, while Kaelan Freund took bronze in the 100 breaststroke in 55.58 seconds, narrowly missing the NCAA B-standard of 55.39. Connor Scanlon was also third in the 3-meter dive with a score of 312.15.
Additionally, Matt Stasiunas and JP Cervone posted season-best times of 4:29.35 and 4:31.78, respectively, to place seventh and eighth.
On the women's side, Penn State saw its most success in the 200 freestyle relay, as the team of Katie Saloky, Siena Salvaggio, Niki Price and Katrina Kuhn placed third in a season-best 1:32.34. Mackenzie Cornell posted the highest individual finish, taking fourth in the 1-meter dive with total of 250.15 points.
Katelyn Sowinski led a trio of season-bests in the 500 free placing fifth as she touched in 4:51.16. She was followed by Ally McHugh in a personal-best 4:51.36 and Casey Francis in 4:52.52, placing sixth and seventh, respectively. Sowinski also led Penn State in the 200 butterfly (2:02.96).
Aleks Tulacz placed sixth in the 200 back in a season-best 2:02.09 and was followed by Megan Wujciak in seventh in 2:05.07. Wujciak also led the Lions in the 200 IM, placing seventh in a season-best 2:03.37.
Saloky and Salvaggio also posted season-bests in the 100 free finishing in 51.01 and 51.24 seconds, respectively, while Heather MacDougall followed in a season-best 51.91.
Competition will resume at 9:30 a.m. with diving and continue with swimming at noon.