RELEASE DATE: 10/15/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SWIMMERS OPEN SEASON WITH 106-80 WIN OVER PENN STATE-ALTOONA – FRESHMAN MARY TUCKER WINS TWICE IN COLLEGIATE DEBUT

MANSFIELD – Freshman Mary Tucker (Corning,NY/Corning East) won the 500 and 1000 yard freestyle to lead Mansfield University to a 106-80 win over Penn State-Altoona in women’s swimming in the season opener for both teams.

Tucker lapped the field in the 1,000 free, her first collegiate race, with a winning time of 12:12.93. She finished ahead of teammate Kristine Van Duzer (Milford/Delaware Valley) who finished second with a time of 13:04.22.

Tucker also finished almost a lap in front of the field in the 500 free with a winning time of 5:52.43 over the second place Van Duzer at 6:26.03.

Senior Andrea Popovic (Novi Sad,Yugolavia) took first in the 200 free, finishing more than nine seconds in front of freshman teammate Hannah Lamphere (Towanda/Towanda) with a winning time of 2:11.40.

Maureen Maikner (Zionsville/Emmaus) out dueled Popovic in the 100 butterfly, posting a 1:07.14 mark to Popovic’s 1:10.20.

Junior Abbe Tipton (Elmira,NY/EFA) won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:09.01, besting Daniella Borrelli’s (Vestal,NY/Vestal) 1:01.52 finish.

The Mountaineer 200 medley relay team of Tippon, Stephanie Klegarth (Allentown/Dieruff), Maikner and Borrelli posted a winning time of 2:01.39.

Freshman Mindy Smith (Columbia Crossroads/Athens) was second 50 free to PSU-Altoona’s Katelyn Grimes with a time of 27.81 with Borrelli taking third.

The Mountaineers will host East Stroudsburg and Millersville at the Mansfield Relays next Saturday.

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