NCAA Div. I: Penn State, Pitt Split

PITTSBURGH, Pa, February 8. THE Penn State men’s and women’s swimming and diving split their dual meet with Pittsburgh Friday night at Trees Pool in Pittsburgh, Pa. The women’s team swam past the Panthers 159-84, while the men came up short 128-115.

The women’s team sports a 5-2 record and is ranked No. 16 by the CSCAA, while the men are ranked No. 17 by the CSCAA and have a 4-3 record.

The women came off with an impressive victory on the road. The foursome of Sarah Haupt (Carlisle, Pa.), Courtney Stanchock (Bloomsburg, Pa.), Amberle Biedermann (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and Larissa Kavchok (Emmaus, Pa.) took home the title of the 400 Medley Relay with the time of 3:46.14.

Freshman Patty Murphy (Medford, N.J.) took the crown in the 500 Freestyle with a time of 4:58.96. Diver Lisa Silvestri (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) came out on top for the Lions with wins in the 1 and 3 meter.

Head Coach Bill Dorenkott stated: “Pitt is always a well-coached team. They raced very well and are no doubt ready for the Big East Championships. I felt our kids did a nice job of staying the course in their preparation for the Big 10's. This is a great time of the year, one in which all your base training and discipline can really payoff."

On the men’s side, freshman Dan Velez (Germantown, Md.) pulled through for the Lions with a win in the 200 Breaststroke with a time of 2:05.72. Junior Todd Minnier also came up strong for the Lions with a win in the 100 and 200 Freestyle with times of 44.40 and 1:38.53, respectively.

Diving Coach Craig Brown added: “Our women divers did a great job on both the 1 and 3 meter. Our men had some strong moments but came up short down the stretch when we needed points to win the meet. However, I like the state we are in, in terms of being ready for the Big 10's and NCAA Zone meet. We've had two very strong weeks of training."

The Penn State women’s swimming and diving team returns to the pool on February 19 at the Big 10 Championships in West Lafayette, Ind. while the men will be back on action on February 27 at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich.

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