Members of the women's swimming and diving team will compete today at the Pittsburgh Open. For some of the Lady Lions, it will be the last meet of the season.

These younger swimmers will not compete in the Eastern Seaboard Championships and have shaved and tapered to swim their best times of the season at this meet. In addition, Pittsburgh's pool is very fast.

Eastern foe Pittsburgh will be the only other team at the meet. Individuals from other schools will compete along side the Lady Lions and Lady Panthers.

"When Pitt and Penn State get together you don't need any other teams," Coach Bob Krimmel said.

"They always get psyched up against us," Laura Tanabe said. "It should be a really close competition."

"(The rivalry) will definitely add to the excitement of the meet," Debbie Finn said.

Deborah Albright, Alexis Cooper, Michelle Drahus, Sheri Evey, Finn, Heather Fraser, Ann Marshall, Stefanie Merkle, Tanabe and Kathryn Trapp will be the swimmers competing in the open. Amy Schmidt, Kristin Tressler and Lara von Seelen will represent Penn State's diving team.

The remainder of the team will compete at the Easterns on Feb. 22 in Pittsburgh. The Lady Lions will try to "warm-up" the pool for next week's competitors.

"We're looking to beat them again," Albright said. "We want to get things rolling for Easterns. We want to get a good feeling going."

This will be Albright's last meet of the season.

The Open marks the first time the team has been split during the course of the season. The Lady Lions ended their dual-meet season with a 12-2 record.

"We're stressing the togetherness of the team because we're splitting up," Finn said. "Our long-term team goal has been that everyone be happy for each other."

Finn also will be competing in her last meet.

"It's what I've been shooting for all season," Finn said.