The Shippensburg University women's swimming team continued its strong start to the 2015-16 season on Friday night with two more dual-meet victories, scoring a 118-70 victory over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival California and a 120-54 win over host Fairmont State in a tri-meet at the Feaster Center.
 
"We don't necessarily put a lot of stock in a dual-meet record, but it's still really good for us and neat to be 4-1," head coach Tim Verge '89 said Friday night. "I think we have a good challenge for us in the next two weeks, and I think the women are ready to continue to step up and race hard."
 
Senior Carolyn Meier, fresh off a four-win effort against IUP last weekend, won two more solo events on Friday: the 50-yard freestyle (25.28) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:26.25). Both times satisfied the PSAC qualifying standard for each event.
 
Meier also swam on the victorious 400-yard freestyle relay that finished the evening. Senior Rikki Sargent, Meier, and sophomores Nollaig Noll and MacKenna Angert swam 3:44.12. Noll also placed second in the 100-yard freestyle, swimming 56.82 seconds, while Sargent took second in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.21).
 
"We have good athletes who can perform well," Verge said. "They stepped up, especially in the second half of the meet. It was exciting to see, and we're getting ourselves ready to have a good rest of this year."
 
Angert and freshman Carly Alvarado had especially notable evenings. In the 1,000-yard freestyle, Angert won the event in 11:14.53. She later took second in the 500-yard freestyle to Meier by swimming 5:29.60.
 
Alvarado, meanwhile, won the 100-yard backstroke, swimming 1:03.77, while sophomore Erin Fife took second in 1:04.45. SU opened the meet by winning the 400-yard medley relay, as Alvarado, sophomore Nicole Martorella, freshman Sidney Owens and Noll swam 4:10.55.
 
Martorella posted another PSAC cut in the 100-yard breaststroke, swimming 1:10.05, while Owens (2:15.99) and Fife (2:16.91) hit PSAC times in the 200-yard individual medley (IM).
 
Earlier in the meet, sophomore Jeanette Welch won the 200-yard freestyle by swimming 2:04.03, with junior Kaytee Garcia taking second place in 2:06.12.
 
"We did a good job tonight; we came out and tried to attack even if we didn't necessarily feel great," Verge said. "The times weren't all the best, but we really raced hard and did well in strategy and other things that will help us to swim faster, and the energy level was really good."
 
Shippensburg hosts Gannon at 6 p.m. next Friday before taking on Clarion the next day. Both meets are at home inside Donald N. Miller Pool.
 
"I'm really excited about our team," Verge said. "We've got a good group of women and they're very confident in their ability."
 
400 Medley Relay
1. Carly Alvarado, Nicole Martorella, Sidney Owens, Nollaig Noll 4:10.55
Rhyan Rodriguez, Sarah Strause, Kaytee Garcia, Abbey O'Neal 4:22.96
McKenzie Johnson, Meaghan McGrath, Kadie Weaver, Marilyn Miller 5:03.07
 
1000 Free
1. MacKenna Angert 11:14.53
2. Lauren Ellis 11:27.42
Kadie Weaver 12:37.02
Alex Kryzan 15:07.45
 
200 Free
1. Jeanette Welch 2:04.03
2. Kaytee Garcia 2:06.12
Sami Sabol 2:12.10
Kara Killion 2:17.51
 
50 Free
1. Carolyn Meier 25.28 (PSAC)
3. Abbey O'Neal 26.37
Carly Alvarado 27.26
Sarah Strause 28.04
 
200 IM
Sidney Owens 2:15.99 (PSAC)
Erin Fife 2:16.91 (PSAC)
Rikki Sargent 2:19.11
Nicole Martorella 2:26.08
 
100 Fly
2. Rikki Sargent 1:04.21
3. Rhyan Rodriguez 1:04.72
Tori Bingham 1:05.35
Kadie Weaver 1:09.29
 
100 Free
2. Nollaig Noll 56.82
Lauren Ellis 57.63
Jeanette Welch 57.65
Marilyn Miller 1:08.60
 
100 Back
1. Carly Alvarado 1:03.77
2. Erin Fife 1:04.45
Sami Sabol 1:06.35
McKenzie Johnson 1:11.96
 
500 Free
1. Carolyn Meier 5:26.25 (PSAC)
2. MacKenna Angert 5:29.60
Kara Killion 6:09.29
Alex Kryzan 7:19.29
 
100 Breast
2. Nicole Martorella 1:10.05 (PSAC)
Sarah Strause 1:15.47
Kaytee Garcia 1:15.99
Meaghan McGrath 1:37.06
 
400 Free Relay
1. Rikki Sargent, Carolyn Meier, Nollaig Noll, MacKenna Angert 3:44.12
2. Lauren Ellis, Sidney Owens, Jeanette Welch, Erin Fife 3:47.52
Kara Killion, Kadie Weaver, McKenzie Johnson, Alex Kryzan 4:22.31