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Swimming H-Y-Ps: equal ardor, unequal goals
With a strong leader in its captain, experienced seniors, and a strong freshman class, women's swimming has emerged as a successful and cohesive team. With a 6-1-1 record (3-0-1 Ivy), they hope to add two more Ivy League victories this weekend at the Harvard-Yale-Princeton meet (H-Y-Ps). "We have a really great senior class, all of whom are leaders, and the freshman are all very strong swimmers," Emily Grant, DC '02, said. "Last year we underestimated ourselves against Harvard and went in with the mentality that we were not going to win, but not this year." Captain Lindsay Wolter, BK '00, added, "We are definitely expecting to perform better this year. Harvard can definitely be beaten."The Bulldogs have a lot of momentum coming off of last weekend's key victories over Dartmouth and Pennsylvania. They had several strong performances, notably from Heidi Kraus, SM '03, Susan Cooke, BK '03, Grant, and Lindsay Wolter, BK '00, all of whom were double winners. "The freshmen have been dominating this season, and we haven't seen the freshmen perform to their full potential yet because we have not tapered for a meet," Wolter said. The divers, Bates Gregory, BR '03, and Shannon Dunlap, BR '01, have also performed remarkably well. "The divers are a great asset," said Wol-ter. "They have been learning new dives in preparation for the tougher meets at the end of the season and thus, are not as strong right now, but they are consistently strong."
| W. Swimming |
| Recent Results: Won at Lehigh, 170-135. Won vs. Dartmouth and Penn. Coming Up: Fri., Feb. 4 and Sat., Feb. 5 at H-Y-P meet at Harvard. |
Although H-Y-Ps are important, the team's individual record during the season has no impact on the league title, which is decided in a meet at the end of the season. Yale is currently ranked third in the Ivy League behind Harvard and Princeton, so this weekend will provide the Elis with an opportunity to test themselves against the dominant forces in the league.
The Bulldogs see this weekend's meet as a chance to prove to the top Ivy teams that they are capable of leading the league and competing at the league championship meet Thurs., Feb. 24 through Sat., Feb. 26. There is no telling what can happen this weekend," said Wolter. "We have excellent team camaraderie."
Grant agrees. "We have a very involved, organized, and supportive
captain who has done an excellent job, and our overall team attitude is
great," she said. "And attitude counts a whole lot."
With this highly optimistic outlook, the Bulldogs have the drive to
finish the season as serious contenders for the league title. If they
hope to do so, this weekend will serve as an excellent gauge as to how
close the team is to achieving that goal.
The challenges that face the men's swimming team this weekend are daunting: remain undefeated in Ivy League competition, win an Ivy League Championship—the first undisputed title for Coach Frank Keefe—and avenge last year's loss to Harvard. The men head to Cambridge on Fri., Feb. 4 to participate in the annual Harvard-Yale-Princeton meet (H-Y-Ps). Though other Ivy League competition remains for all three teams, this meet potentially determines the champion, because Princeton, Yale, and Harvard, ranked first, second, and third in the Ivy League, respectively, are the sole contenders for the title. Unlike the women, whose title is determined by the Ivy League meet at the end of the season, the men's championship is awarded to the team which has the best overall record in dual meets throughout the season. Therefore, this weekend's meet will determine the champion.
| M. Swimming |
|
Recent Results:Won vs. Dartmouth, 187-97. Won at Lehigh, 177-130. Coming Up: Fri., Feb. 4 and Sat., Feb. 5 at H-Y-P meet at Harvard. |
Like women's swimming, the men have momentum from their most recent meet against Dartmouth and Pennsylvania. Their convincing victories over both teams were largely due to excellent swimming by George Gleason, TC '01, Stephen Fahy, MC '01, Michael Schulte, TC '02, and Michael Caperonis, CC '02. Yale also dominated in diving with strong performances from Chris Berrer, DC '02, Rich Berrer, JE '02, and Pat McElroy, SY '01. "Stephen Fahy and George Gleason are both strong swimmers and are always carrying us. And all three divers had an excellent weekend," Caperonis, the captain, said.
In preparation for H-Y-Ps, the Bulldogs are making several changes. Most notably,the whole team will shave on Friday. Shaving increases speed for the swimmers, reducing friction by removing both hair and a dead layer of skin.
"We really want to beat these guys, not only for ouselves, but also for Coach because he deserves the Ivy League Championship," Justin Doty, TC '02, said.
The men's swimming team has clearly defined goals and is confident that with a strong performance it will succeed. "We are a force to be reckoned with," Caperonis concluded. Swimming is out to prove it to the Ivy League this weekend.
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