UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's swimming & diving team took the victory in its "Pink Meet" against West Virginia with a final score of 170-115, Saturday afternoon in McCoy Natatorium.
This was the team's third win of the season and the Nittany Lion's 13th win all-time against the Mountaineers. The women had five event sweeps in the 200 and 500 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke, and 100 butterfly.
Top Swims
Carly Hart, junior breaststroke and IM swimmer, had another great meet with two individual wins in the 100 and 200 breast (2:16.47) and a B-Cut time in the 100 breast (1:01.78). Hart also placed second in the 200 IM (2:04.67).
Sophomore Marie Schobel, senior Maddie Hart, junior Stephanie Szekely, and freshman Abbie Amdor also earned a pair of wins. Schobel won the 100 (55.07) and 200 back (1:58.67), while Hart won the 100 (55.08) and 200 (2:02.86) fly and placed second in the 200 back (1:59.99). Szekely had some exemplary swims, winning the 1000 free (10:13.39) and 200 IM (2:04.63), in addition to having the second-fastest time in the 200 back. Amdor had a strong showing once again, winning the 100 free (50.42) for the second week in a row and the 200 free (1:50.28). With a single win, junior Camryn Barry took the 500 free (4:58.48) for the second consecutive week and placed second in the 200 free (1:50.78).
Top Dives
On the boards, senior Christina Crowell swept the meet, winning the 1-meter (282.30) by a margin of 24 points and the 3-meter (274.95) dive by a margin of eight. Crowell's 1-meter score qualified her for the NCAA Zone A Regional Championships. This is the earliest in her collegiate career that she has ever qualified.
Nittany Lion Relays
To open the "Pink Meet", the women took first and second in the 200 medley relay. The winning team of Schobel, Carly Hart, Maddie Hart, and Madison Ledwith had a time of 1:41.99 while the second place team of Emma Harvey, Maddie Cooke, Brooke Matthias, and Elizabeth Gaspari trailed narrowly behind at 1:43.17. The final event of the meet was the 400 free relay, and the Nittany Lions won first and second as well. The winning team of Barry, Ledwith, Gaspari, and Amdor swam a 3:27.08 relay and the second place team of Cooke, Kate Sheridan, Ellie Tiskus, and Sadie Schumann trailed by only a second with a time of 3:28.67.
Event Winners
1000 Free – Stephanie Szekely (10:13.39)
200 Free – Abbie Amdor (1:50.28)
100 Back – Marie Schobel (55.07)
100 Breast – Carly Hart (1:01.78)
200 Fly – Maddie Hart (2:02.86)
100 Free – Abbie Amdor (50.42)
200 Back – Marie Schobel (1:58.67)
200 Brest – Carly Hart (2:16.47)
500 Free – Camryn Barry (4:58.48)
100 Fly – Maddie Hart (55.08)
200 IM – Stephanie Szekely (2:04.63)
1-Meter Dive – Christina Crowell (282.30)
3-Meter Dive – Christina Crowell (274.95)
Next Up
Penn State will host Ohio State and Virginia Tech at home on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2 in the McCoy Natatorium at 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Check GoPSUSports.com for coverage of the Penn State swimming and diving teams during the season. Follow the team on Twitter at @PennStateSWIM , on Instagram at @pennstateswimdive , and on Facebook at facebook.com/pennstateswimminganddiving.
Craig Houtz