23 qualifying times for Scots

In their final competition before the PSAC Championships, the Edinboro swimming team took on Clarion on Friday. Nine senior swimmers were honored before the start of the meet, presenting their parents with flowers as they joined them on the deck of the pool for the ceremony.

“It was very surreal to be competing at McComb for the last time...I am very sad to be leaving the team because they have turned into my family. I can’t imagine not seeing them for 4 hours a day,” Breanna Purnell said.

Purnell continued, “Seniors provide emotional support...I think the underclassmen will be pleasantly surprised with how they do at PSACs; I know I was.”

A win for the women would put them over the .500 mark, knocking Clarion down, forcing them into a losing season.

“Clarion is huge rival for both the men and women...it was nice to win again on senior night,” Purnell added.

Three wins from senior Holly Stein and from freshman Katelyn Kopacko would help the Scots, as they tallied seven total wins in the meet. Stein would take the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke while Kopacko took the 50-yard sprint.

Yana Miletska, of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine was the only other Scot to win two individual events as she took the 200-yard IM and 100-yard butterfly races. Both Miletska and Kopacko represent a freshman class with the potential to make an impact on the conference down the road.

Thirteen total PSAC qualifying times were achieved by the Scots. Mary Rosati took second in the 1,000-yard and 500-yard freestyle races, qualifying in both. Six seconds would separate her from her competition of Becca Yonek.

Purnell’s finish behind Miletska in both the IM and the butterfly gave her the qualifying standard. Other second place finishes garnering qualifying times included Anastasiia Semkiv in the 50-yard freestyle and Jessie Bliss in the 100-yard freestyle.

Grabbing victories in both relays, the Fighting Scots placed enough swimmers for a comfortable victory, 112-93. Emily Kling, Purnell, Rosati, and Stein were the four members of the team to be honored.

A tough season for the men would conclude in their last league conference matchup as they fell to 1-6 on the year. Five seniors were honored, two of which would earn their PSAC qualifying time: Luke Frederick and Justin Ransel.

Individual victories for the Scots would come in the 200-yard and 50-yard freestyle with Marcus Grosso and Justin Ransel splitting the two. The 200-yard IM would go to Gage Halle, and the 100-yard butterfly went to Ransel for his second victory of the day.

Frederick grabbed two second place finishes as well as two PSAC qualifying marks; he will look to finish his Edinboro career alongside Ransel at the PSAC Championships.

In terms of training, there is a lot of adjustments as the team approaches their biggest meet of the year.

“We prepare for PSACs by doing a two to three week taper, which is basically rest. We slowly decline our yards in the pool and also our morning practices,” Purnell said.

Michael Lantinen can be reached at sports.spectator@gmail.com.