Women’s Swimming Defeats Pitt-Bradford on Senior Day
ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's swimming team closed its regular season and sent its four seniors off with a victory on Saturday, as the Lions posted a 135-38 win over Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Pitt-Bradford in the Adler Natatorium.
Before the meet, the program recognized seniors Madison Coleman (Altoona, PA/Tyrone), McKenna Holl (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin), Sarah Petry (St. Benedict, PA/Cambria Heights), and Hailey Toth (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) for their careers with Penn State Altoona swimming. After that, the Lions handled Pitt-Bradford by recording 10 first-place finishes, and Penn State Altoona won its eighth dual meet of the season.
Alexis Buchala (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) and Coleman each scored a team-high two individual first places during the meet. Buchala took first in the 1000 Yard Freestyle with a time of 12:04.44, and she later prevailed in the 500 Yard Freestyle after clocking in at 5:55.93. Coleman won the 100 Yard IM in 1:06.83, and she finished atop the standings in the 100 Yard Freestyle by posting a time of 58.32.
The Lions began their afternoon with a first place in the 200 Yard Medley Relay, during which Julia Daley (Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy), Ayva Harris (Monroeville, PA/Gateway), Teah Sponsler (Halifax, PA/Halifax), and Claire Smith (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley) came together for a total time of 2:04.59.
Smith notched an individual win in the 200 Yard Freestyle, in which she compiled a time of 2:11.27. Emma Fraundorfer (Altoona, PA/Altoona) later won the 100 Yard Butterfly in 1:08.00.
Holl earned first place in the 100 Yard Backstroke with a time of 1:06.15, and Toth won the meet's last individual swim by placing first in the 100 Yard Breaststroke with a time of 1:15.02.
Penn State Altoona secured a victory in the last event, the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, in which Fraundorfer, Harris, Buchala, and Anna Heller (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon) combined to place first with a time of 1:53.48.
Next up, the Penn State Altoona women's swimming team will prepare for the AMCC Championships, which will be held at Erie Community College in Buffalo, N.Y., on Wednesday, February 19, through Saturday, February 22.
