'Cliffe Swimmers Glide Past Jackson

The Radcliffe swim team, riding a victory wave of ten straight-undefeated seasons, plunged in Saturday where it left off last year by defeating Jackson, 73-39.

Like the presidential election, the season-opening meet between the experienced Radcliffe swimmers and the newly-formed Jackson team was over before it started. The 'Cliffe took top honors in all but one event.

Radcliffe captain Connie Cervilla said yesterday that the relays were the most promising races in the meet. After only two weeks of practice, freestyle relayers RoAnne Costin, Nancy Sato, Cervilla, and Wicki Royden turned in a time of 1:53, only seconds away from last year's season record.

The 'Cliffe team, which last year placed second in the New England Championships, third at the Easterns and in the top 20 at the NCAA Nationals, has returned in full force. So that prospects for this season are nothing short of excellent.

Costin, a junior and last year's captain, has placed high in freestyle events at the Nationals, the New Englands, and the Easterns in the last two years. Cervilla has also turned in winning times as a butterflier and freestyler at the regional and national competitions.

Sophomore Nancy Sato and junior Jeannie Drew--the two other veterans of last year's Nationals--have returned in the diving and freestyle categories. Senior breaststroker Sandy Wallace rounds out the returning veterans.

Freshwoman Wicki Royden. Radcliffe's promising freestyler from the Santa Clara swim team, could push last year's winning relay times into the unbeatable range. She will alternate with Costin in individual freestyle events.

Coach Alice McCabe called Radcliffe's depth a major factor in Saturday's victory. The 'Cliffe has a complete B-team this year for the first time and the added points from second and third place swimmers will enhance team totals throughout the season.

Captain Cervilla called Saturday's tidal wave victory "a good indicator of how we're going to do in the future."

"Our team in twice as large as last year's; we've get twice the pool time," Cervilla said. "It looks to me like we're going to be twice as good."