Wellesley Swimming & Diving Tops Merrimack in Saturday Dual, 205-82

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Wellesley College swimming & diving finished first in 13 of 16 events to defeat Division II Merrimack College, 205-82, in a dual meet on Friday at Chandler Pool and Saturday at the North Andover YMCA.

Senior Ingrid Henderson (Berkley, Calif.) was first in both 1 and 3-meter diving on Friday at Wellesley's Chandler Pool, scoring 213.60 on the 1-meter board and 217.50 on the 3-meter board. First year Emma Roberts (Boxford, Mass.) was second in 1-meter (167.47) and 3-meter (192.90) as the two spotted the Blue a 26-0 lead before competition started on Saturday. 

Senior Sunny Chiang (Troy, Mich.) and first year Jessica Wegner (Taipei, Taiwan) joined Henderson with a pair of event wins on Saturday. Chiang was first in the 200 Back (2:17.51) and the 200 IM (2:19.63). Wegner raced to victory in the 100 Back (1:02.24) and the 100 Fly (1:01.78).

Chiang's victory in the 200 IM was part of a 1-2-3 Wellesley sweep of the event. Junior Danielle Peterson (Livingston, N.J.) was second (2:20.27) and first year Shelby Ripp (St. Louis, Mo.) followed in third (2:20.73). Ripp also led her own 1-2-3 sweep for the Blue in the 200 Breast, taking first (2:40.39) with teammates Jessica Wu (Palo Alto, Calif.) following in 2nd and Grace Bronstone (Truckee, Calif.) following in third. 

Reigning NEWMAC Swimmer of the Week Hannah May (Cincinnati, Ohio) turned in another strong performance for the Blue, taking first in the 200 Free (2:02.48) and third in both in the 100 Free (56.45) and the 500 Free (5:37.11). Peterson added a second runner-up performance in the 200 Free (2:03.38). 

Wellesley added first place finishes in the 200 Fly, 50 Free, and 500 Free, as well as both relays. Senior Jessie Feng (Princeton, N.J.) and junior Maggie Haley (Shady Side, Md.) finished first (2:17.71) and second (2:21.71) in the 200 Fly. First years Peyton Wang (Palo Alto, Calif.) and Paulina Gonzalez (Caracas, Venezuela) added first place times in the 50 Free (25.86) and the 500 Free (5:33.41). 

The Blue were also first in both relays, taking the 200 Medley Relay in 1:55.02 and the 200 Free Relay in 1:42.70. Junior Kayleigh Svensson (Palo Alto, Calif.), Peterson, Wegner, and Wang combined for the time in the 200 Medley, while Wang, Feng, senior Crystal Zhu (Chelmsford, Mass.), and May finished first in the 200 Free Relay.

Wellesley will now begin preparation for the 2019 NEWMAC Championships, Thursday-Sunday, February 21-24, at WPI.