LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University swim team is set to open the 2013-14 season on Saturday (Oct. 19) at East Stroudsburg University.
 
Setting the stage:
Saturday's dual with ESU (1 p.m.) is the first of five PSAC dual meets this season.
 
2013-14 at a glance:
Second-year head coach Joel Blesh is extremely excited to open the season and rightfully so as he returns seven student-athletes, who qualified for a combined 19 different events at last year's PSAC Championships.
 
Seniors Kristen Capretti, Kaitlyn Druby and Kristin Taylor, along with juniors Allie Muha, Carley Nitchie, Kayla Schnars and Laura Stephens all competed at last year's conference meet.
 
Top-Returners:
Blesh couldn't be more excited about the continued development of both Allie Muha and Kristin Taylor, saying they will be huge assets to the team this year because of their versatility. Both have established themselves as mainstays in the distance-freestyle and IM events. Because of their ability and strengths in the IM events, they can score major points for LHU at any distance.
 
Kayla Schnars will look to build off a tremendous meet at last year's conference championship, where she competed in three different events, which included a standout performance in the 100 backstroke.
 
Laura Stephens and Kaitlyn Druby will look to give Lock Haven strength in the breaststroke. According to Blesh, Stephens has made a major impact since transferring to LHU last year. She'll make a major impact in the breaststroke, sprint freestyle events and also the backstroke.
 
Druby also starred at the PSAC meet, capping the year with lifetime bests in three events. She'll look to build on that confidence.
 
Leading the charge in the sprint freestyle events will be Kristen Capretti and Carley Nitchie.
 
Newcomers:
Lock Haven features eight new faces this year, including seven freshmen and one sophomore-transfer.
 
Blesh says all have made a good transition into college swimming and have the future of Haven swimming looking bright.
 
Danielle Parowski, a sophomore-transfer from the University of Pittsburgh will make an immediate impact for Lock Haven. She'll compete in the sprint and mid-distance freestyle events.
 
Freshman Jamie Mason, a Jersey Shore, Pa. native will also look to make a quick mark for Lock Haven.
 
Last time vs. East Stroudsburg (11/3/12)
Brittany Rehrig won two individual events and LHU added a relay win, but the Lock Haven University swim team fell to visiting East Stroudsburg 120-85.
 
The Lady Eagles won four-of-11 events today and picked up two individual wins from Rehrig in the 100 freestyle (53.75) and 100 breaststroke (1:08.11).
 
The relay team of Rehrig, Kristen Capretti, Carley Nitchie and Laura Stephens took first in the 200 freestyle relay, with a time of 1:41.06.
 
The Haven also grabbed first in the 200 medley relay.  The team of Stephens, Capretti, Kristin Taylor and Kayla Schnars posted a time of 1:53.95.
 
Allie Muha had a strong race in the 200 IM, as she was just touched out at the wall and posted a time of 2:20.53.
 
Lock Haven returns to the pool November 15-17 when the Lady Eagles travel to Indiana (Pa.) for the Crimson Hawk Invite.
 
Breaking down the Lady Eagles:
The 2013-14 edition of the Lady Eagles features seven freshmen, three sophomores, four juniors and five seniors The 19 Lady Eagles hail from four different states.
 
Up next:
Lock Haven returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. when the Lady Eagles host Mansfield. It marks one of three 2013-14 home events at The Haven's Zimmerli Poll. LHU is home on Saturday, Jan. 18 vs. Kutztown and LHU hosts the Haven Invite on Saturday (Feb. 1).
 
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