STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The # 20 Penn State men's swim team (4-3, 1-1 Big Ten) lost to the #12 Wolverines of Michigan 152-91, but managed to beat the Purdue Boilermakers 136-107. In a highly competitive meet, four pool records were broken and eleven NCAA provisional times were earned.

The Nittany Lions set a new pool record in the final event of the afternoon, the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team of Bob Molettiere (Harleysville, Pa.), Todd Minnier (Avon Lake, Ohio), Martin Schierhorn (Zappendorf, Germany) and Eugene Botes (Glen Mills, Pa.) swam a time of 2:59.85, which bettered the old record of 3:00.07 set by Pittsburgh last year. Penn State's time was also a NCAA provisional mark.

Schierhorn led the 500-yard freestyle from start to finish to win in a time of 4:28.21. Botes had an excellent weekend of competition by winning the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 20.39 and placing second in the 100-yard freestyle and earning a NCAA provisional time of 44.91. Matt Haupt (Carlisle, Pa.) placed second in the 200-yard individual medley, but his time of 1:50.33 was a NCAA provisional mark.

Steve Bohner (Lansdale, Pa.) finished second in the 1-meter springboard by a mere four points, while Marc Gastaldo (Winslow, Maine) placed second in the 3-meter springboard.

Michigan swam away with the meet from the onset by winning eight events and finishing one-two in four of those races. Wolverines Dan Ketchum and Tim Siciliano each set pool records. Ketchum set a new record of 1:37.22 in the 200-yard freestyle bettering former Nittany Lion Dave Rafferty's record of 1:37.79. Siciliano's time of 149.53 in the 200-yard individual medley bettered the old record of 1:49.86. Purdue swimmer Tamas Bessenyei also set a new pool record in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:01.03.

Penn State will return to action on February 2 when they host Rutgers University at the McCoy Natatorium. The meet is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.

Quotes:

Penn State Head Coach Bill Dorenkott

Thoughts on the four pool records ?
It is a fast meet and anytime you get in a Big Ten dual meet you can expect outstanding competition. Purdue and Michigan came to race. This is why you go to a school like Penn State, to swim against the best.

Major Difference in the outcome ?
We are good team and they are a little bit better. They have a tradition and we are building one. Got to give credit to Coach Urbanchek.

Senior Bob Molettiere

On pool record ?
I was really excited because when Pittsburgh got the old record we won the race, but I false started so we got disqualified. We usually swim well in that event so to put it altogether today was exciting. We should be able to swim a time like that rather consistently.

Final Scores:

 Penn State 136.00 Purdue 107.00 Michigan 152.00 Penn State 91.00 Michigan 162.00 Purdue 81.00