LHU Swimming opens 2024 by hosting Penn State Altoona

LOCK HAVEN – The Lock Haven women’s swimming team opened the 2024 portion of its schedule by hosting Penn State Altoona in a non-conference dual meet on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 13) inside Zimmerli Pool.

Saturday’s non-conference dual was the first home meet for Lock Haven inside Zimmerli Pool this season.

An exciting meet from start to finish came down to the final race which featured a showdown in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The Lions edged out Lock Haven by .33 seconds to slip by the Bald Eagles on the afternoon, 118-117. The team of Espefani Santos-Soto (Hazelton, Pa./Hazelton), Mackenzie Eades (Derry, Pa./Derry), Sydney Houck (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) and Jessie Noldy (Hop Bottom, Pa./Elk Lake) placed second with a time of 1:49.78.

The slim but fierce Bald Eagle group grinded through the afternoon and scored 48 more points today than the team did against PSU Altoona last season.

The Bald Eagles move to 2-4 in dual events this season.

The team of Noro Craig (Dover, Pa./Dover), Houck, Emma Pequignot (Dover, Pa./Dover) and Alaina Cane (Bellfonte, Pa./Bald Eagle) kicked off the afternoon with a victory in the 200-medley relay with a time of 2:00.87.

Houck earned the first individual victory after besting the 100-yard breaststroke field with a time of 1:11.93. Houck also won the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:41.41.

Pequignot had an excellent afternoon, picking up victories in the 400-yard IM (5:11.97), 200-yard butterfly (2:28.47) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:57.43).

Cane continued the momentum for Lock Haven with a victory in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing in 27.29 and the 100-yard butterfly (1:06.72).

UP NEXT:

The Bald Eagles travel to NCAA DI Saint Francis on Friday, Jan. 19 for a 3 p.m. non-conference dual meet in Loretta, Pennsylvania.

The Haven returns home on Saturday, Jan. 20 and will host Kutztown University in a PSAC dual meet at 1 p.m. in Zimmerli Pool for the 2023-24 regular season finale.