WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The Wellesley College swimming and diving team picked up a season-opening win as the host of the 14th-annual Betty Spears Relays held at Chandler Pool on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue won nine events at the meet to total 282 points, while Mount Holyoke notched four wins to nab second with 158 points. Smith posted one event win to finish third with 130 points, while Westfield State took fourth with 60 points and one event win.
For Wellesley, rookie swimmers set the tone of the meet, as the Blue received two first place finishes from teams made up of all first-years. In the 400-medley relay, Gabriela Kovacikova, Anne Hamilton, Keelin Nave and Lindsey Shepardson, teamed up to post a winning time of 4:22.78. In the 400-free relay, Hamilton and Nave combined with Mariam Amirkhanashvili and Erin Pomeroy to win the event in 3:51.83.
Nave factored into five wins for the Blue, while sophomore Carolyn Jackson, along with Hamilton, were each a part of four winning relays. Amirkhanashvili, Shepardson, sophomore Virginia Hung and junior Alex Simas each swam in three event wins.
Rounding out the action for Wellesley, first-year Megan Lambert was a part of two relay wins, while first-year Hayley Goydan and sophomore Kathryn Goffin combined to finish third as a diving team in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events.
Mount Holyoke was led by sophomore Nora Cunningham who was a part of all four of the Lyons first place finishes. First-year Lauren Williams picked up three wins, while first-year Allison Burhoe, sophomore Madeline Magee and junior Lydia Bowers each factored into two wins.
For Smith, sophomore Jenika Parson and senior Alexis Roehrich paired up to win the 3-meter diving event and take second on the 1-meter board. Parson led all divers on the 3-meter with 222.15 points, while Roehrich's 197.95 points were second on the 1-meter board.
Westfield State was led by junior Kimberly Schmidt, who factored into top-two finishes in both diving events. On the 1-meter board, her overall point total of 248.15 eclipsed all other divers as she and partner, junior Amanda Lemelin, won the event. On the 3-meter board, Schmidt totaled a 200.95, placing her second individually and ranked her second in team points with partner, junior Kathleen Jwanowski.
Wellesley returns to action on Saturday, November 13th, hosting Clark and Roger Williams at 1:00pm. Mount Holyoke next travels to the Regis Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Smith opens their home slate on Saturday at 1:00pm against Springfield and Westfield State will next compete at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational on Saturday at 12:00pm.
The Betty Spears Relays are named in honor of Dr. Betty Spears for her remarkable career in physical education and athletics. Dr. Spears graduated from the former Wellesley College Physical Education Graduate Program. After earning her Ph.D. at New York University, she returned to Wellesley and served as Professor and Chair of the Physical Education Department from 1961-1972. Dr. Spears was one of the most generous contributors to Wellesley College and was a member of the committee that founded Friends of Wellesley College Athletics in 1986-87.
