UNH Surprises Radcliffe Swimmers, 77-53; Dominates Short Sprints and Medley Relays

"They were good. They were very good," lamented Radcliffe swimming coach Stephanic Johnson. Her swimmers had just been handed their first defeat of the season, 77-53, by a potent University of New Hampshire team.

"They weren't so good in the longer stuff, and we beat them in the 200-yard events," she added. "But they got us in the sprints. They were just faster." The Crimson performance was a far cry from Saturday's drowning of Wheaton.

Radcliffe could muster only three double winners. Sophmore Carol Moore captured the 50-yard breaststroke as well (119.7). Freshman Kathy Linenthal easily claimed the one and three-meter diving events, and Laurie Downey took the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.9) and the 500 yard freestyle (5:42.2).

"Laurie's race was great, a real thriller," said coach Johnson afterwards. "She raced UNH's best, a national YMCA champion. It was close all the way until the very end when Laurie pulled ahead in the last couple of lengths."

"It was nice to swim a strong race," reflected Downey later. "I really wasn't sure if I'd be racing her or not. When the time came, I really didn't have too much time to think about it."

Despite losing, the swimmers have nothing to be ashamed of. Individually, they continue to improve with every race. Downey and Captain Maureen Murphy each chopped 20 seconds off their previous best clockings in the 500-yard freestyle.

"The fact that we are winning the long ones is a sign that the girls are really working hard," said coach Johnson. "Everyone improved their times; everyone preformed quite well."

The team's next meet is Saturday, November 15, when it will host an invitational meet with ten other teams in the Indoor Athletic Building. Coach Johnson thinks her squad will be better prepared both mentally and physically. "After the Wheaton meet, everyone thought that they were great," she said. "Now, they all know that they must work much harder. We'll expecially be working hard on sprints, the 50's and 100's."

Its record now at 1-1, Radcliffe's next dual meet is November 22 against the University of Rhode Island.