Radcliffe Swimmers Edge Out Maine Squad, Freestyle Relay Event Is Decisive Margin

The Radcliffe swim team quelled a last minute drive by a determined Maine team and won, 72-58, at the IAB Saturday.

Going into the last event, the 200 yd. freestyle relay, Radcliffe led 65-58. The seven-point spread appeared within Maine's grasp as their strong freestylers pulled two strokes ahead after the first two legs of the relay. A determined effort by Nancy Sato, followed by a very strong performance by Laurie Downey, made up the distance and gained enough to win, 1:51.455 to 1:51.775.

In the first event of the meet, the 200 yd. medley relay, the Radcliffe team of Downey, Sato, Diana Borden and Kyle Patterson trounced their Maine opponents by a full pool length.

The next three events also saw Radcliffe victorious. In the first, Downey took the 200 yd. freestyle, trailed by two Maine swimmers. Borden and Kris Krendl added a first-third combination in the 100 yd. Individual Medley, and Marie Roehm's victory in the 50 yd. backstroke, with Carol Robey second, capped it off.

Last Stand

Maine came up with victories in the last events before the diving: the 50 yd. breaststroke, freestyle and butterfly. Carol Moore and Borden were second and third in the breaststroke, Patterson, third in the freestyle, and Moore, third in the Fly.

In the required dives, Nancy Sato easily outperformed the other three divers with a score of 146.10. Allyn Banert took second for Maine with 126.10 while Borden placed third for Radcliffe.

The rest of the individual events saw Radcliffe and Maine trade victories, leading off with Downey's 22-second win in the 100 yd. Fly, followed by Sue Sawyer's second-place finish for Radcliffe. In the 100 yd. freestyle Maine took top honors, while Patterson placed third for Radcliffe.

Radcliffe swept the next event as ailing tri-captain Krendl, Roehm and Robey outpooled the lone Maine entry.

Additional Scoring

In the 400 yd. freestyle and the 100 yd. breaststroke Radcliffe picked up some additional scoring as tri-captain Maureen Murphy took third in the 400 yd. freestyle and Moore and Rubin picked up second and third in the breaststroke.

Sato picked up another first in the optional diving as she easily defeated Banert of Maine, the lone contender.

Alice McCabe, coach of the Radcliffe swim team said yesterday, "It was a very exciting meet, where everyone's effort was necessary and an example of superb team effort."