SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Wellesley Swimming & Diving claimed victory in a pair of events but trails first place Vassar College by 11 points following day one of the 2018 Seven Sisters Championships, hosted by Mount Holyoke College.  

The Brewers posted 11 victories over the first 13 events and lead the field of five with 740.5 points. Wellesley is in second with 729.5 points, followed by the host Lyons in third with 358 points, Smith College in fourth with 339 points, and Bryn Mawr College in fifth with 276 points.

Wellesley senior diver Maura Sticco-Ivins (Framingham, Mass.), captured her fourth-straight Seven Sisters title on the one-meter board, scoring 451.70 on her 11-dive list, while also posting an NCAA Regional qualifying mark. Following Saturday's action, Sticco-Ivins was also named the 2018 winner of the Marly Pineda Seven Sisters Swimming and Diving Award. The award is given to the swimmer or diver who, over the course of her career at the Seven Sisters Championships, best exemplifies the dedication, passion, selflessness, sportsmanship, and spirit of a champion that defined Marly Pineda, a former Smith swimmer and coach who passed away in 2010.

The Blue also added a first place time in the 200 Yard Medley Relay, with sophomores Kayleigh Svensson (Palo Alto, Calif.) and Danielle Peterson (Livingston, N.J.), and first years Emma Helmich (Huntington, Ind.) and Margaret Harrigan (Chatham, N.J.) combining for a time of 1:51.29. The rest of the day belonged to the Brewers, as Vassar took first in the remaining events, but the Blue followed in second in the 200 Free Relay, 200 Yard IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Back, and 800 Free Relay to remain in the hunt. 

Helmich, Harrigan, classmate Solveig Stensland (Lino Lakes, Minn.), and junior Jessie Feng (Princeton, N.J.) earned a time of 1:42.23 in the 200 Free Relay, while junior Sunny Chiang (Troy, Mich.) took second in the 200 IM in 2:16.73. Hemlich was also second in the 100 Fly, tying for the honor with Brynn Lautenbacher of Vassar in 1:00.02. First year Emily Yeager (Pittsfield, Mass.) was the runner-up in the 200 Free in 1:59.97. Svensson added the final individual runner-up for the Blue with a time of 1:00.97 in the 100 Back.

Action continues on Sunday with the third and final session, beginning at 9:30am with three-meter diving. Swimming will begin at 12:15pm with the 1650-freestyle.