Harvard Swimmers Down Dartmouth, 68-45; Radcliffe Wins, 72-59

The Radcliffe swim team narrowly defeated Dartmouth 72-59 in Saturday's dual meet at the IAB. For the third time in five meets the Crimson clinched the meet in the final event, this time setting a Radcliffe record of 1:47.71 in the 200-yd. freestyle relay.

No doubt remembering last years six-point loss to Dartmouth, the Radcliffe swimmers painted their nails Crimson to prove their solidarity. It seems the manicure was effective because the swimmers gave their best performance of the year, producing many season and individual bests.

The Crimson began the meet on a sour note, dropping the opening 200-medley relay, but came back immediately, sweeping the 200-yd. freestyle event with Jane Fayer finishing first, Sue Vassallo second and Mary Ellen Mangano third.

Maura Costin, swimming with a bad back, then took the individual medley to put Radcliffe ahead. A 37.22 first-place finish by Nancy Danoff in the 50-yd. breaststroke, her season's best, combined with Jane Fayer's victory in the 50-yd. freestyle, kept Harvard close, 29-32, at the break for the one-meter dives.

Dartmouth came out of the diving competition ahead, 38-32, but the rest of the meet was all Harvard.

The dynamic freshwoman duo of Costin and Fayer blitzed for two victories, Costin taking the 100 butterfly with a team record time of 1:03.18 and Fayer triumphing in the 100-yd. freestyle.

Coach Stephanie Walsh then withdrew Costin from the 500 freestyle and placed her in the 100 backstroke to contest Dartmouth's strong Maja Wessels. The move proved worthwhile as Costin took first and Leslie Landefeld finished third giving Radcliffe a 6-3 point advantage rather than a 3-6 defecit.

Strategy Pays Off

Costin's withdrawal from the 500 freestyle cost the Crimson nothing as Sharon Beckman, Debbie Van Ryn, and Mary Ellen Mangano swept the event.

Beckman's victory was remarkable because she had just taken third in the 100 freestyle and had never swum the 500 in competition. After a surprise victory by Suzanne Abkowitz in the one-meter optional diving the Crimson led 65-59.

The final 200-yd. freestyle relay, which scores seven points for the winning team, decided the meet. The leadoff legs swam by Elspeth Farmer and Landedelt lost some ground but a storming finish by Costin and Fayer sent the Greenies home losers.