The Panther Invitational looms this weekend.

The teams begin competition at 5 p.m. Friday with Summit League rival Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis and will also swim against Evansville, Lincoln College and Valparaiso.

The Panther Invitational will run for a second day at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Some of the women’s team swimmers said they are looking to improve their swim times and think they will improve from their practice and preparation this week.

“It’s a big meet; I hope everyone will concentrate on getting their best times,” sophomore Lauren Zillmer said. “(Eastern head coach) Ray (Padovan) will rest us this week, so we’ll all be able to go faster (in the meet). We’re still going to have the same practice times, but it will be a little less intense.”

The men’s side will need to better their times to get above the .500 mark.

“We haven’t lost (here) since I’ve been on the team,” said junior Brent Noble. “We’d like to win and have everyone individually improve their times.”

Laird continues to be outstanding

Quiet in the meets so far, junior Joe Laird has stepped up in the diver role for Eastern’s men’s team. With exception of the season opener, Laird has won the 1-meter and 3-meter dives in each of the meets Eastern has been in, posting season-best scores of 250.00 in the 1-meter against Illinois-Chicago on Oct. 13 and, most recently, 266.90 in the 3-meter this Saturday against Evansville.

“Joe Laird has been big for us; he’s been winning and, hopefully, he’ll keep winning the rest of the way,” Noble said.

Sprinters, distance swimmers step up for men’s team

It looked as though it would be difficult to fill the shoes left by Bill Senese, alumni Eastern swimming champion.

However, this year the team’s core has been rebuilt with a core including sophomore Matt Crittenden, freshman Matt Scaliatine, junior Joe Ethington and freshman Jayson Shine.

Noble stepped up during this past weekend’s victory against Evansville and won the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:29.69) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:57.65).

“The sprinters have done a nice job filling in for Bill Senese, who graduated,” Noble said. “The guys that have been doing it are improving. We’re moving other guys around to fill the void (of our weakness in distance.). We were really happy with the way things turned out (this past weekend.) We went in going in thinking it was going to be a super close meet, so we all won fairly easily. Everyone stepped up and got the job done.”

Women’s team looks to improve times

After starting out 0-4, the women’s team has only two real goals to accomplish: improve their times and win their first meet of the season this weekend at the Panther Invitational. The swimmers will rely on certain individuals to step up, as well as members of the medley Relays to improve and succeed this weekend.

“I’m sure I’m hoping we can continue to do our best in events like we have been. I hope (the people who will step up are) Emily Immel in distance and Jen Beresheim in her butterfly,” Zillmer said. “You get the most points for winning a relay, so every time we are doing a relay, we are hoping for the win.”

Immel wins first collegiate race

Sophomore Emily Immel won her first race against Evansville Saturday at Lantz Natatorium.

The Carmi native won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:30.37. She beat UE’s Lisa Murphy by a half-second to win the race.

Immel had placed third in the 1,000-yard freestyle earlier in the meet. Murphy won that event.

Freshmen Eric Krolikiewcz competes in the 200 IM at Lantz Pool October 13.

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