Williams Wins Five Events On Day 2 To Open Up Lead At NESCAC Champs

by SwimSwam 0

February 15th, 2020 College, NCAA Division III

NEW ENGLAND SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (NESCAC) – WOMEN

Courtesy: New England Small College Athletic Conference

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Williams won five events on Friday to build a 40-point advantage over Tufts following the second day of action at the 2020 NESCAC Swimming & Diving Championships at Middlebury College.

DAY 2 RESULTS | DIGITAL PROGRAM | CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR

Williams opened the evening session winning the 200 freestyle relay, marking the Ephs 27th straight relay victory at the NESCAC Championships. The team of Gwyneth Maloy, Samantha Kilcoyne, Molly Craig, and Laura Westphal set a new Middlebury pool record with a time of 1:33.81. Bates and Tufts finished 2-3 and all three relays earned NCAA B-cut times.

Amherst’s Nina Fitzgerald was victorious in the 50 breaststroke. A runner-up in the event a year ago, she posted a winning time of 29.09, outlasting Caroline White (29.21) of Williams, the 2019 champion in the event. Bates’ Abigail Gibbons placed third (29.42).

Kilcoyne earned her first NESCAC win in an individual event, capturing first-place in the 50 butterfly. She touched the wall in a time of 24.65, while Sasha Fong of Tufts (25.01) and Mary Laurita of Bowdoin (25.05) rounded out the top three finishers.

Westphal claimed her third straight win in the 500 freestyle, posting a time of 4:53.56, and was followed by Gabby Smart of Bates (4:54.93) and Natalie Rumpelt of Amherst (4:55.40).

Bowdoin’s Marshall Lowery set a new school record in the 50 backstroke (26.30) during the morning session and shattered her own school mark in the finals, winning the event with a time of 25.68. Middlebury’s France VanderMeer, a third-place finisher in 2019, was the runner-up with a time of 25.70 and Caroline Conforti of Williams placed third (25.88).

In the 200 IM, Molly Craig of Williams reclaimed the title with a winning time of 2:02.29. Craig won the event in 2018, but was runner-up in 2019. Grace Goetcheus of Tufts was the runner-up (2:04.76), improving on her third-place finish in 2019. Anna Roberts of Bowdoin finished third (2:05.52).

Middlebury’s VanderMeer claimed the NESCAC title in the 50 freestyle for the second year in a row, clocking a winning time of 23.60. Tufts teammates Elle Morse (23.75) and Amanda Banasiak (23.90) finished 2-3 in the event to score for the Jumbos.

Amherst’s Lindsey Ruderman won her third straight NESCAC title on the 1-meter board, registering 471.65 points. Williams Gabby Mercier was the runner-up for the second consecutive year with 447.80 points and was followed by Amherst’s Hannah Karlin (437.55 points).

In the final event of the evening, the 400 medley relay, Williams stretched its streak to 28 consecutive relay victories. The team of Conforti, White, Kilcoyne, and Westphal earned a winning time of 3:44.89.

Action at the 2020 NESCAC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship continues on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

* The top three finishers in each event and the top three relay teams earn All-NESCAC honors
* – NESCAC record; # – NESCAC meet record; % – Middlebury Natatorium record

EVENT First Place Second Place Third Place
200-yard Freestyle Relay Williams – 1:33.81 %
Gwyneth Maloy, Samantha Kilcoyne
Molly Craig, Laura Westphal
Bates – 1:34.40
Janika Ho, Abigail Gibbons
Megan Strynar, Caroline Apathy
Tufts – 1:34.53
Elle Morse, Brooke Bernstein
Amy Socha, Mary Hugziger
50-yard Breaststroke Nina Fitzgerald (Amherst) – 29.09 Caroline White (Williams) – 29.21 Abigail Gibbons (Bates) – 29.42
50-yard Butterfly Samantha Kilcoyne (Williams) – 24.65 Sasha Fong (Tufts) – 25.01 Mary Laurita (Bowdoin) – 25.05
500-yard Freestyle Lara Westphal (Williams) – 4:53.56 Gabby Smart (Bates) – 4:54.93 Natalie Rumpelt (Amherst) – 4:55.40
50-yard Backstroke Marshall Lowery (Bowdoin) – 25.68 Frances VanderMeer (Middlebury) – 25.70 Caroline Conforti (Williams) – 25.88
200-yard IM Moly Craig (Williams) – 2:02.29 Grace Goetcheus (Tufts) – 2:04.76 Anna Roberts (Bowdoin) – 2:05.52
50-yard Freestyle Frances VanderMeer (Middlebury) – 23.60 Elle Morse (Tufts) – 23.75 Amanda Banasiak (Tufts) – 23.90
1M Diving Lindsey Ruderman (Amherst) – 471.65 pts Gabby Mercier (Williams) – 447.80 pts Hannah Karlin (Amherst) – 437.55 pts
400-yard Medley Relay Williams – 3:44.89
Caroline Conforti, Caroline White
Samantha Kilcoyne, Laura Westphal
Amherst – 3:45.66
Dani Gonzales Pinero, Nina Fitzgerald
Marie Fagan, Natalie Rumpelt
Tufts – 3:47.61
Emma Donchi, Lily Kurtz
Amy Socha, Mary Hufziger

DAY 2 TEAM STANDINGS
1.  Williams — 754 points
2.  Tufts — 714 points
3.  Amherst — 593 points
4.  Bates — 529 points
5.  Bowdoin — 429 points
6.  Middlebury — 337 points
7.  Connecticut College — 311 points
8.  Wesleyan — 273 points
9.  Hamilton — 213 points
10. Trinity — 212.5 points
11. Colby — 196.5 points

Day 3 – Saturday, February 15
10 a.m. – Swimming Prelims
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
1000-yard Freestyle (timed finals)

2 p.m. – Diving Prelims
3-meter Diving (5 req.)

5:50 p.m. – Finals
Senior Ceremony
200-yard Medley Relay
1000-yard Freestyle (last heat of timed finals)
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke

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