CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion women’s swimming and diving team notched a runaway victory to open the 2016-17 season, defeating Grove City by a score of 179-125 at Tippin on Saturday.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics
The Golden Eagles will next be in action when they travel to Edinboro on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Alexis Lopez was a standout for Clarion on opening day, contributing to a win in the 200 Medley Relay while also winning or placing highly in five other events. She started the day as the second leg of the 200 Medley Relay team, teaming with Summer Dacheux, Abbigale Newman and Becca Yonek to record a winning time of 1:53.39. She next claimed victory in the 200 Free, smoking the field by nearly four full seconds with a time of 1:59.95, and then edged out the Wolverines’ Megan Crutcher for the win in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:10.13.
Her last win of the day came in the 100 Free, which she won with a time of 55.73. Lopez also took second in the 50 Free with a time of 25.33, and in the 500 Free with a 5:35.61.
Becca Yonek opened the meet proceedings with a big win in the 1650 Free, pacing the field with a time of 18:57.43. Dacheux also recorded a pair of individual victories, winning the 100 Back with a time of 1:01.51 and the 200 Back in 2:14.85. Michelle Morrisey was a winner in the 400 IM, with the freshman posting a time of 4:56.43, and Katie Gore rounded out the swimming individual champions for Clarion with a 2:35.55 in the 200 Breaststroke.
On the boards, Christina Sather won both the 1m and 3m Dives on the afternoon. She opened with a 262.05 in the 1m, besting teammate Maranda Leidwinger, and then scored a 251.78 in the 3m to top teammate Kait Nedrow.
MEN’S SWIMMING
CLARION, Pa. – Nathan Porter provided a photo finish to open the day and notched two more individual victories as the Clarion men’s swimming and diving team defeated Grove City by a score of 196-112 in the season opener. The Golden Eagles will next be in action against Edinboro on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Porter took either first or second in six different events on Saturday, including one relay win and five individual events. He brought a rush of excitement in his first event of the day when he teamed with Ben Spencer, Ian Lindsey and Joshua Thruston to win the 200 Medley Relay. The anchor leg, Porter held off a late charge by the Wolverines’ Brett Gwynn and edged him by 0.34 seconds to put the Golden Eagles on top early.
After posting second-place finishes in the 200 Free, 100 Free and the 100 Back, Porter claimed his first individual win of the day in the 200 Back. Again it was a close finish, though this time it was against Spencer, with Porter edging his teammate with a time of 1:59.50 to win. Spencer was just behind him, coming in at 1:59.77. His last individual win of the day was in the 500 Free, an event he won handily with a time of 4:55.36.
Patrick Olivier opened the day for Clarion with a dominant win in the 1650 Free, recording a time of 17:59.89 to top Grove City’s Ashton Pietroboni by nearly 22 full seconds. Olivier showed his versatility with a winning time in the 200 Fly, recording a mark of 2:10.00.
After missing time last year Spencer appeared to be back in top form, winning his first individual event of the day in the 200 Free; he won by the narrowest of margins, coming in at 1:47.49 compared to Porter’s 1:47.57. Spencer went on to win the 100 Back with a time of 55.61 and the 400 IM with a time of 4:25.57. Rounding out the winners for Clarion was Thruston, who won the 100 Free in a time of 49.53.
Ian Lindsey earned two individual titles on the day as well, pacing the field in the 100 Breaststroke by nearly five seconds with a time of 1:00.01. He also won the 200 Breastroke, topping the Wolverines’ Ben Slate with a time of 2:14.58.
On the boards, reigning NCAA Men’s Diver of the Year Collin Vest was in midseason form with a pair of victories on the day. He opened with a score of 297.83 in the 1m Dive and finished things off with a win in the 3m Dive, compiling a score of 277.95.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SIXTH AT LAKE ERIE INVITE
PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Clarion cross country team completed action at the Lake Erie Invitational on Saturday, taking sixth in the field of 15 at the 6K course at Painesville Country Club. The Golden Eagles will next be in action on Oct. 22 at the PSAC Championships.
Kayce Bobnar was the top finisher for the Golden Eagles on Saturday, taking 12th overall with a time of 17:21.08. Danielle Vensel came in just behind her, finishing 27th with a time of 17:44.26. The next three finishers came within four places of one another, with Taylor Donia leading the pack at 18:11.23. Kelsey Murray was just six seconds behind her, and Brianna Leidy recorded a time of 18:19.02.
Rounding out the scoring for Clarion was Danielle Stoner, who finished in 19:15.38, and Megan Schwerzler, who recorded a time of 19:18.63.
WOMEN’S SOCCER FALLS TO KUTZTOWN
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Clarion soccer team ran into a tough offensive team on the road on Saturday, falling 3-0 at Kutztown. The Golden Eagles (2-10-2, 2-9-1 PSAC) will return home to host Slippery Rock on Tuesday at Memorial Stadium.
The Golden Bears peppered Clarion with shots but the Golden Eagle keepers responded well, turning away eight of those attempts on net. Krista Mosi got the start and made five saves, while Brigid Stermel entered in relief in the second half and turned away three shots.
Marina Kelly had the best opportunity for the Golden Eagles in the 81st minute, firing on net against goalkeeper Jenna Bracken, but Bracken scooped the ball in to keep it out of the net. Rhianon Fowler had an opportunity off a corner kick by Stephanie Lias earlier in the second half, but her shot attempt missed the net wide.
VOLLEYBALL REBOUNDS TO BEAT MERCYHURST
CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion volleyball team rebounded from a slow start to post a clean sweep, defeating Mercyhurst 3-0 (28-26, 25-20, 25-10) at Tippin Gymnasium on Saturday. The Golden Eagles (10-8, 4-2 PSAC) have now won three straight matches at home and five of their last seven matches overall.
Taylor Braunagel tied for the match-high with 12 kills and contributed a well-rounded stat line of five digs, two blocks and two aces. Mackenzie Biggs added 10 kills and hit .643, committing just one error on 14 attempts. Three Golden Eagles finished in double-digits in digs, with Ferragonio posting a team-high 15 on the afternoon; Marissa Robertson and Morgan Herold each had 12 digs. Leah Vensel dished out 34 assists.
Clarion trailed big early on in the first set as the Lakers went ahead 11-3 to open the match. The Golden Eagles chipped away steadily, pulling to within 13-11 on a kill by Lauryn Driscoll to force a Mercyhurst timeout. Biggs tied the score at 20-all with a kill but the Lakers tacked on two straight to make it 22-20. Clarion wasn’t done, however, with Braunagel putting the team ahead 24-23 with a solo block of Shelby Chesko. Braunagel made it 27-26 with a kill and Biggs delivered the set-winner with a kill on the next attempt.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a large lead of their own in the second set, but unlike the Lakers was able to make it stick. Biggs gave Clarion their largest lead of the set with a kill to make it 15-7 and Braunagel quelled a mild rally with a kill to make it 21-16. Alyssa Zirnheld cut Clarion’s lead to 24-20 but Biggs was there again for the set winner, notching the kill to make it 25-20.
The third set was never really in question, though, as the Golden Eagles cruised to the win. Robertson made it a 19-7 advantage with a kill and Vensel scored on a setter dump to make it 20-8. Braunagel recorded her second ace of the match to end it, glancing a shot off Samantha Giardina for the winner.
WOMEN’S TENNIS SEASON ENDS
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Alivia Arnold fell in the second round of singles action, and the Clarion women’s tennis team completed their stay at the 2016 PSAC Tennis Championships hosted by Bloomsburg. The Golden Eagles will be back in action when they take on Franciscan on Oct. 14.
Arnold faced off against Carla Corrochano Moracho of Slippery Rock in the second round of singles action, falling in a tough match. Moracho defeated Arnold by a score of 6-0, 6-0.
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