LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Seeded 14th, Laura Goettler’s only goal was to swim well.

The incoming Butler sophomore never thought she would swim this well.

Goettler swam the 200-meter breaststroke in a personal-best two minutes, 32.6 seconds Friday, good enough for fifth place in the event at the Speedo Junior Nationals. The 18-under USA meet is being held at the Nassau County Aquatic Center this weekend.

“I was hoping to do well, of course, but top five? I never dreamed I’d do anything like that,” Goettler said.

“This is definitely the biggest achievement I’ve had in swimming so far.”

And that’s saying something.

Goettler won the WPIAL Class AAA 200-yard individual medley title while setting a Trees Pool record in that event as a freshman at Butler. She also placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke in ther WPIAL meet.

“To do what she did here is an incredible accomplishment,” Butler swim coach Dave Bocci said of the USA national meet. “This is the highest level of competition in the country any swimmer age 18 and under can do.

“Laura is only 15. She has three years to go in high school ... This is pretty amazing.”

Bocci also coaches the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins. a USA Swimming club. Goettler was representing that club at the national meet.

Goettler’s time of 2:32.6 is two seconds faster than last year’s Olympic qualifying time of 2:34.99 in the 200 breast.

The winning time in the 200 breast was 2:29.

“That girl was 6-foot-2,” Bocci said. “Laura is only 5-6. There was one other girl in her heat who was 15. The other girls were all older.”

Goettler swam in an outside lane. The winning swimmer was in the middle lane.

“When you’re on the outside like that, it’s hard to tell what’s going on (with the other swimmers),” Goettler said. “But I felt like I was going at a good pace.

“It was a little intimidating, standing up there at the start. I was one of the smallest girls there, up against all of these great athletes. I was excited just being there.”

The qualifying time for nationals in the 200 breast was 2:38. Goettler swam a 2:35 in June, enabling herself to bypass the USA Futures meets designed for competitors her age and go straight to the big stage.

“She hit all of her splits,” Bocci said of the pace she had practiced to swim. “It’s nice when the actual event works out the way you had designed and planned it.”

Goettler will also compete in the 200 individual medley this weekend. She is seeded 40th in that event.

“Hopefully, I can move up a few spots there, too,” Goettler said. “It’s still hitting me, what I did out here ... I don’t know what to say.

“I’m looking forward to the high school season, placing well in the state meet and building off of this.”

Bocci said the Olympic qualifying time will be faster in the next couple of years. He also said it shouldn’t matter.

“When Laura’s 18, she’ll be headed for the Olympic trials,” he said. “I can definitely see her doing that.”