Breakout performances highlighted Shippensburg University swimming’s road victory at California University of Pennsylvania on Friday, with both the men and women bringing home wins.
SU men’s swimming faced off against Fairmont State University in a dual meet, grabbing the team’s third straight win against the Falcons convincingly, 130-97.
The Raiders had a trio of swimmers step up and deliver meet-changing performances, with Jeff Beyer, Nick Bloom and Ely Fryer all taking first place in multiple events.
Beyer’s time of 4:48.09 in the 500-yard freestyle set a new pool record, while also registering as a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifier. Beyer’s day was not finished there, though, as he took first place and another PSAC qualifier in the 1,000-yard freestyle.
Nick Bloom may have been the team’s MVP on the day, bringing home wins in three different events, including the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard backstroke. Bloom’s finish of 54.95 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke gave the team another PSAC qualifier.
Freshman Ely Fryer owned the butterfly for the Raiders, taking first and posting PSAC qualifying times in both the 100 and 200-yard fly.
For SU, it was a total team effort to get the victory. The team had 12 PSAC qualifiers on the day, with eight different swimmers contributing to that list.
As it was last season, youth has played a big role for the team’s push throughout the season. Friday, four freshmen picked up PSAC qualifying times, with two getting first place in their respective events.
The women took on the team’s first quad-meet of the season with the same result, coming out on top and continuing its electric start to the season, improving to 5-1.
The Raiders needed each member of the team to contribute in order to take first place, with SU just edging California, 123-120. SU also defeated Millersville University, 136-108 and Fairmont State, 160.5-77.5.
There were several parallels between the men’s and women’s teams on Friday, with both teams having a member break a pool record.
For the women, Stephanie O’Toole continues to impress, smashing the record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:07.94.
O’Toole’s record breaking swim was just one of her three victories on the day, picking up the gold in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke, as well as her record-breaking 200-yard individual medley.
Shippensburg’s Carly Alvarado also posted strong performances in the 100-yard backstroke, 1,000-yard freestyle and the 200-yard backstroke. Alvarado picked up two PSAC qualifiers and a first-place finish in the 1,000-yard freestyle.
The Raiders have dealt with some injuries recently, so each player was counted on more to pick up strong times in Shippensburg’s win at California.
SU had nine PSAC qualifiers on the day, echoing the team success the Raiders have had this season.
Shippensburg’s next meet will be the team’s last home match of the season, and it will be a notable one, as the team will have its Senior Day ceremony before the meet starts. The men’s squad will honor one senior, Quinton Beck, before the team takes on Clarion University.
On the women’s side, MacKenna Angert, Erin Fife, Nollaig Noll, Rhyan Rodriguez, Sarah Strause and Jeanette Welch will be recognized. SU takes on Clarion on Friday at 5 p.m.
The Raiders will then head to the Patriot Invitational and the Bomber Invitational, as well as conference meets against Gannon University and Edinboro University as well as a non-conference meet at the United States Naval Academy.
SU will then have about a month to prepare for the conference championship meet at the York, Pennsylvania, YMCA.
Men’s results:
100 Back
1. Nick Bloom 54.95 (PSAC)
3. Evan Smith 59.52
Evan Anthony 1:03.50
100 Breast
1. Hunter Keck 1:03.35
2. Callum Hamel 1:04.52
3. Quinton Beck 1:06.17
100 Fly
1. Ely Fryer 53.40 (PSAC)
2. Shane Kaliszewski 54.36 (PSAC)
3. Joe Deemer 55.59
1000 Free
1. Jeff Beyer 10:17.23 (PSAC)
2. Eric Zimmerman 10:22.59
3. Emmett Langan 10:53.42
200 Free
2. Joe Deemer 1:47.89 (PSAC)
Evan Anthony 2:02.97
50 Free
2. Hunter Keck 22.52 (PSAC)
3. Adam Fox 22.58 (PSAC)
Wendell Banks 25.64
200 IM
1. Nick Bloom 2:03.77
2. Callum Hamel 2:09.40
Quinton Beck 2:12.81
200 Fly
1. Ely Fryer 2:03.40 (PSAC)
2. Joe Deemer 2:04.51 (PSAC)
Shane Kaliszewski 2:12.70
100 Free
2. Adam Fox 49.34 (PSAC)
3. Evan Smith 51.92
Wendell Banks 54.18
200 Back
1. Nick Bloom 2:00.60
3. Emmett Langan 2:13.96
Evan Anthony 2:18.33
500 Free
1. Jeff Beyer 4:48.09 (PSAC)
2. Eric Zimmerman 4:59.23 (PSAC)
Wendell Banks 6:06.89
200 Breast
1. Callum Hamel 2:20.18
2. Quinton Beck 2:21.97
400 Free Relay
2. Jeff Beyer, Hunter Keck, Ely Fryer, Adam Fox 3:16.43
3. Shane Kaliszewski, Eric Zimmerman, Emmett Langan, Evan Smith 3:28.44
Women’s results:
100 Back
2. Carly Alvarado 1:01.67 (PSAC)
Mari Reott 1:03.94
Erika Rundquist 1:07.04
100 Breast
1. Stephanie O'Toole 1:05.65 (PSAC)
3. Gracee Tothero 1:11.63 (PSAC)
Sarah Strause 1:12.82
100 Fly
2. Erin Fife 1:00.49 (PSAC)
Rhyan Rodriguez 1:03.59
Nollaig Noll 1:05.11
1000 Free
1. Carly Alvarado 11:23.56
Erika Rundquist 12:26.76
Kara Killion 12:38.83
200 Free
3. Jeanette Welch 2:02.55
Neena Gollub 2:10.93
Caitlyn Sellers 2:26.65
50 Free
Neena Gollub 26.40
Sarah Strause 27.26
Nicole Smith 28.55
200 IM
1. Stephanie O'Toole 2:07.94 (PSAC)
Nollaig Noll 2:24.59
Gracee Tothero 2:25.41
200 Fly
2. Erin Fife 2:16.96 (PSAC)
Rhyan Rodriguez 2:24.59
Nicole Smith 2:47.53
100 Free
Jeanette Welch 55.81 (PSAC)
Neena Gollub 57.89
Kara Killion 1:04.03
200 Back
2. Carly Alvarado 2:14.26 (PSAC)
Mari Reott 2:19.15
Erika Rundquist 2:27.46
500 Free
Rhyan Rodriguez 5:53.94
Caitlyn Sellers 6:27.76
200 Breast
1. Stephanie O'Toole 2:22.00 (PSAC)
Gracee Tothero 2:35.55
Sarah Strause 2:43.82
400 Free Relay
2. Erin Fife, Jeanette Welch, Mari Reott, Nollaig Noll 3:47.08
Madeleine Verby, Kara Killion, Caitlyn Sellers, Nicole Smith 4:10.08
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