Saturday afternoon the Charger swim team had a double victory against NCAA Division III No. 17 Hope College, even after spotting them 32 points due to diving, (165 – 128) and Ohio Northern University (211 – 63).
Freshman Megan Clifford won every event she swam. The freshman broke the Hillsdale College pool record in the 200 butterfly and won the event by 8 seconds (2:08.83). Clifford also took the 100 butterfly and was the only swimmer under a minute (59.42). She was also part of both winning relays for the Chargers.
Junior Marie Taylor took both sprint events by winning the 50 freestyle (24.59), and the 100 freestyle (54.70). Taylor also contributed to both winning relays, especially by anchoring the 200 medley and out-touching Hope College by .4 after the chargers were behind in the event.
Charger distance took both the 500 and 1000, scoring critical points for the Chargers. In the 500, Hillsdale swept the event by going 1-2-3-4. Junior Leah Tunney lead the way (5:18.87), freshman Elise Mason second (5:22.90), junior Sarah Clark third (5:25.84), and sophomore Sarah Patancizek fourth (5:26.50). In the 1000, Mason took the lead and was the only swimmer under 11 minutes (10:58.36). Teammate S. Clark finished with a strong second place (11:07.61).
Sophomore Caroline Holmes was the only swimmer under two minutes in the 200 freestyle (1:58.93). Holmes was also part of both winning relays, and had a strong third place finish the 200 backstroke (2:11.72).
Freshman Joanna Burnham won the 200 IM (2:14.44) and finished second in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.48) and second in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.42). Burnham also swam the breaststroke leg on the winning medley relay.
Junior Leah Tunney, last week's GMAC swimmer of the week, won the 500 (5:18.87), took second in the 100 backstroke (1:01.07), second in the 200 backstroke (2:09.80), and was part of the winning 400 freestyle relay.
Both Hillsdale A-relays took first. The 200 medley relay of Holmes, Burnham, Clifford, and Taylor had a big upset by Taylor to take first over Hope by .4 (1:50.80). The 400 freestyle relay of Holmes, Taylor, Tunney, and Clifford had a strong finish for first (3:39.15).
Senior Anna Clark scored valuable points in the butterfly events. A. Clark finished second in the 200 butterfly (2:16.72), and fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:01.81).
Sophomore Cecilia Guadalupi added to the team's depth by scoring third in the 100 backstroke (1:01.14), third in the 200 breaststroke (2:32.66), and third in the 200 IM (2:17.94).
Other top finishes include freshman Emmalyse Dickhudt third in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.96), freshman Lily Golladay third in the 50 freestyle (25.65) and fourth in the 100 freestyle (56.37), junior Sydney Slepian fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.69), and senior Taylor Boyle fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.58).
Written by Zoe Tracey