Jan. 28, 2006

PITTSBURGH-The University of Pittsburgh women's swimming and diving team dropped a 132-111 decision to Virginia Tech, this afternoon in Blacksburg, Va. The Panthers fall to 7-2 on the season.

Sophomores Kristin Caiazzo (Princeton, N.J./Hopewell Valley) and Megan McCandless (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) claimed second and third-place in the 3M boards. Caizzo rose to the challenge in the 1M dives, as well. With 236.10 points she claimed first, while McCandless was third.

Junior Kristin Brown (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) earned the first top-finish for the Panthers in the 200 free. She stopped the clock at 1:49.73, while senior Kelly Redcay (Reading, Pa./Wilson) touched the wall at 1:54.42 for third.

In the 100 free Brown was edged out by Virginia Tech and took second at 51.24. Freshman Stacie Safritt (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) and Redcay rounded out the top four of that event with times of 51.47 and 52.24, respectively.

The Panthers earned another win, when senior Amy Miteff (Wellington, Fla./Wellington) finished ahead of the pack in the 200 fly (2:03.73). Later junior Andrea Shoust (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont./White Pines C & VS) took the win in the 200 back at 2:03.27 and junior Kathy Suida (Waterloo, Ont./Bluvale Collegiate) took a two-second victory in the 500 free with a time if 5:02.55.  

The Panthers stayed in the meet as, senior Jordan Wallace (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic) and Safritt took second and third in the 50 free at 23.39 and 23.85, respectively.

The 400 free relay team ended the meet with a win at 3:24.56. The team consisted of Brown, Safritt, Redcay and Wallace.

Pitt travels to Virginia to meet the Cavaliers tomorrow, Jan. 29, with diving beginning at 11 a.m.