Courtesy Kenneth Chung
Courtesy Kenneth Chung

Swimming & Diving Sweeps Babson, Coast Guard in Home Opener

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College swimming & diving swept to a pair of victories over New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foes Coast Guard and Babson College in a tri-meet on Thursday afternoon at Chandler Pool.

The Blue recorded 14 first place times in all, racing to a 253-35 victory over Babson, while defeating Coast Guard 207-92. Coast Guard defeated Babson 232-51 in the other head-to-head result. Following today's action, Wellesley improves to 5-0 in dual meets during the 2015-16 season.

The afternoon opened with a Blue victory in the 200 Medley Relay, as first year Sunny Chiang (Troy, Mich.), seniors Charlotte Harris (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Dorothy Ren (San Jose, Calif.) and first year Cathy Chen (Parsippany, N.J.) raced to a first place time of 1:52.17.

Senior Ieva Galinyte (Irvine, Calif.) followed with the first of two distances victories, touching the wall in 10:58.86 to win the 1000 Free. Galinyte later added a time of 5:17.20 to take first in the 500 Free.

After aiding the 200 Medley to victory, Harris followed up with individual wins in a pair of 200-yard events, clocking in at 1:58.85 to win the 200 Free, while taking the 200 Breast in 2:31.74.

Ren also added two wins in individual events, each at 100 yards. The senior took first in the 100 Back with a time of 1:00.48 before finishing as the only competitor under a minute in the 100 Fly with a mark of 59.02.

Sophomore Maura Sticco-Ivins (Framingham, Mass.) won both the 1 and 3-Meter diving events, compiling a score of 282.55 on the 1-meter before taking the 3-meter with a mark of 297.00. Junior Maddie Stern (Phoenix, Ariz.) took second in the 3-meter with a score of 237.05, while also posting a third place score of 232.65 in the 1-meter.

First year Karen Wang (Holmdel, N.J.) was the fifth member of the Blue to post two individual victories on the afternoon, taking the 200 Fly in 2:12.77 before adding a victory in the 200 IM when she touched the wall in 2:13.69. 

Chiang and Cathy Chen rounded out the individual win total for the Blue in the meet, as Chiang won the 200 Back with a time of 2:14.16 and Cathy Chen raced to a 50 Free sprint victory in 25.05. 

Cathy Chen then helped the Blue to their second relay victory, teaming with Patricia Chen (Natick, Mass.), Galinyte and Harris to win the 400 Free Relay in 3:41.69.

Blue swimming & diving returns to Chandler Pool on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM versus Seven Sisters and NEWMAC rival Smith College.