UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - The Blue and White welcomed the Army Black Knights for the first of two matchups in their final homestand of the season. The Nittany Lions earned a dominant start to the competition with four consecutive first-place finishes, creating a lead that withheld the duration of the matchup as Penn State earned their first win of the new year.
Top Swims
The day kicked off with a dominant run in the women’s 1000 Free, as the Morgan mayhem generated enough momentum throughout McCoy to tally first-and-second place finishes for the Blue and White. Morgan Moore grabbed gold with a 9:54.05, followed by Morgan Jenny who snuck into second with a 10:06.64.
The Morgan tandem tallied a second and third place finish in the 500 Free, Moore in second with a 4:50.98, and Jenny in third with a 4:54.99.
Junior Catherine Meisner added another victory in the 200 Free, finishing with a 1:46.10, her fastest of the season and second shy of a career best. Meisner added a first place finish in the 100 Free with a 49.85.
Casey Loughlin and Molly Carson tallied points to the Penn State total in the 100 Back, touching second and fourth with respective times of 55.44 and 55.91. The tandem added second and third place finishes in the 200 Back competition, Loughlin in second with a 2:00.51, and Carson in third with a 2:03.28.
It was a battle of the breast stroke between Margaret Markvardt and Audrey Cohen who tallied a tight first and second finish in the 100 Breast. Markvardt touched first with a 1:01.38, Cohen trailing in second with a 1:02.78.
Markvardt tallied another victory in the 100 Fly with a 52.64 finish, followed by Maura Fluehr in second with a 53.87.
Cohen tallied her first collegiate victory in the 200 Breast, with a 2:16.14 finish, marking a career-best in the event. She was closely trailed by Mackenzie Pagett, who finished third with a 2:17.75.
Junior Julia Meisner touched third in the 200 Fly with a 2:02.54, and Maura Fluehr added a second place finish in the 50 Free with a 23.30.
The Meisner twins battled for a first place finish in the 200 IM, Catherine Meisner touching first with a 2:00.83, Julia Meisner in second with a 2:03.20.
Relays
The Blue and White earned a strong start to the day with a victory in the 200 Medley relay in dominant fashion, courtesy of Ellie Brandbergh, Audrey Cohen, Margaret Markvardt and Maura Fluehr.
Penn State added a second place finish in the final event of the day, the 200 Free relay, with a 1:32.59 finish led by Nya Robinson, Markvardt, Fluehr and Cohen.
Divers
Grace Brammer and Abbey Ekstrom touched first and second in the one meter competition, Brammer finishing first with a 259.88, followed by Ekstrom in second with a 258.83. Kailey Koval tallied a close fourth place finish with a 234.23.
The diving trio had a day swapping successes, as Ekstrom took first place in the three meter with a 285.75, followed by Koval in second with a 268.65, and Brammer in third with a 251.25.
Event Winners
1000 Free - Morgan Moore (9:54.05)
200 Free - Catherine Meisner (1:46.10)
100 Breast - Margaret Markvardt (1:01.38)
100 Free - Catherine Meisner (49.85)
100 Fly - Margaret Markvardt (52.64)
200 IM - Catherine Meisner (2:00.83)
1 Meter - Grace Brammer (259.88)
3 Meter - Abbey Ekstrom (285.75)