SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's swimming team won eight events Wednesday night in its 2017-18 season opener and emerged victorious in several close races to come away with a hard-fought 133-129 dual meet victory over IUP from Donald N. Miller Pool.
 
Shippensburg and IUP were within one point heading into the final event, the 200-yard freestyle relay. The Raider quartet of senior Erin Fife, senior Jeanette Welch, freshman Madeleine Verby and junior Carly Alvarado raced extremely hard and posted a victory in 1:42.70 to claim the dual-meet win.
 
"We did some terrific things tonight," head coach Tim Verge said. "That is a very good team, and to get a close win at home with the women against them was just wonderful. I asked them to race hard and smart, and for the most part, they did."
 
Junior Stephanie O'Toole won all three of her individual events, even setting a new pool record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:11.13. O'Toole had three of SU's eight swims on the night that satisfied the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying standards, completing the 50-yard freestyle in 25.13 seconds and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:07.11.
 
Alvarado won both of her individual events, notching a time of 27.65 seconds in the 50-yard backstroke and a time of 1:00.10 in the 100-yard backstroke. She and O'Toole also book-ended the meet-opening 200-yard medley relay, teaming up with sophomore Gabriella Johnson and senior Rhyan Rodriguez for a victory in 1:51.60.
 
Verby debuted with a victory in the 1,000-yard freestyle, posting a time of 11:12.22. She also recorded a PSAC cut in the 500-yard freestyle, placing second with a time of 5:26.10.
 
Fife notched conference qualifiers in the 100-yard freestyle (55.85 seconds) and the 100-yard butterfly (1:00.41), placing second in each event. Johnson picked up a league cut in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:10.06).
 
"A lot of the times come with resting," Verge said. "I'm very proud of them after the week of work we've been having. I am sure IUP was tired too, and they looked sharp and ready to go. It was a fun, early season meet. That was a great way to kick off the year."
 
Shippensburg's next dual meet is in nine days, as the Raiders will host West Chester and Southern Connecticut State on October 13-14 from Donald N. Miller Pool.
 
200 Yard Medley Relay
1. Carly Alvarado, Gabriella Johnson, Rhyan Rodriguez, Stephanie O'Toole 1:51.60
Mari Reott, Gracee Tothero, Nollaig Noll, Sarah Strause 1:57.89
 
1000 Free
1. Madeleine Verby 11:12.22
Erika Rundquist 12:26.96
 
200 Free
2. Jeanette Welch 2:04.03
3. Madeleine Verby 2:04.49
Kara Killion 2:25.66
 
50 Back
1. Carly Alvarado 27.65
3. Mari Reott 29.21
Erika Rundquist 31.04
 
50 Breast
2. Gabriella Johnson 32.17
Gracee Tothero 33.36
Sarah Strause 33.90
 
100 Fly
2. Erin Fife 1:00.41 (PSAC)
Rhyan Rodriguez 1:03.32
Nollaig Noll 1:04.85
 
50 Free
1. Stephanie O'Toole 25.13 (PSAC)
Sarah Strause 27.56
Kadie Weaver 27.67
 
100 Free
2. Erin Fife 55.85 (PSAC)
Jeanette Welch 57.14
Kadie Weaver 1:00.76
 
100 Back
1. Carly Alvarado 1:00.10 (PSAC)
3. Mari Reott 1:03.55
Erika Rundquist 1:07.31
 
100 Breast
1. Stephanie O'Toole 1:07.11 (PSAC)
3. Gabriella Johnson 1:10.06 (PSAC)
Gracee Tothero 1:12.29
 
500 Free
2. Madeleine Verby 5:26.10 (PSAC)
Jeanette Welch 5:38.53
Kara Killion 6:21.30
 
50 Fly
2. Erin Fife 27.47
Rhyan Rodriguez 28.07
Mari Reott 29.04
 
200 IM
1. Stephanie O'Toole 2:11.13 (PSAC)
3. Gracee Tothero 2:20.98
Nollaig Noll 2:24.18
 
200 Free Relay
1. Erin Fife, Jeanette Welch, Madeleine Verby, Carly Alvarado 1:42.70
Gabriella Johnson, Sarah Strause, Nollaig Noll, Kadie Weaver 1:48.19
Kara Killion, Nicole Smith, Caitlyn Sellers, Erika Rundquist 1:56.43