CAMBRIDGE - The Tufts University women's swimming & diving team used a strong Sunday to win the MIT Invitational, scoring 1,777 points overall. Host MIT placed second with 1,684 points for the weekend.
The brown and blue competed in eight events on Sunday night, setting a school record and recording two NCAA B-cuts. In the 200 medley relay, Tufts finished second led by Jeanette Khowong, Lily Kurtz, Sasha Fong, and Hannah Spencer with a 1:44.72 time that broke the team's record from 2012 when the Jumbos posted a 1:45.83. The mark is an NCAA B-cut.
Sophomore Sook-Hee Evans ended with a 5:05.11 time which was good for third overall in the 500 freestyle. Classmate Amy Socha (5:10.75) also placed fifth in 500 free. In the 200 backstroke, sophomore Jackie Crater finished third marking a 2:06.33. Junior Grace Goetcheus was one spot behind Crater with her 2:06.57 in the event. Fong had a second-place time of 56.85 seconds in the 100 butterfly with Socha not far behind her in 57.91 seconds for third.
Lily Kurtz posted a first-place finish in the 200 breaststroke timing in at 2:21.63, which was four seconds better than MIT's Sara Nicholas. The sophomore's time was an NCAA B-cut. Kurtz had won the 100 breaststroke with an NCAA B time on Saturday. The Jumbos also had sophomore Emily Mendelson (2:26.04) place third in the 200 breast on Sunday.
Abby Claus (2:08.01) and Goetcheus (2:10.42) placed second and fourth respectively in the 200 individual medley. Kurtz, in fifth place, was the third Jumbo in the top five with her 2:11.62 finish.
The final event was the 400 freestyle relay where the Jumbos placed third overall posting a 3:33.15 time led by Mary Hufziger, Goetcheus, Claus, and senior Colleen Doolan.
Tufts will next be in action on Saturday when they travel to Wesleyan for a 1 pm start. Williams and WPI will also be in the meet.
Written By Athletic Communications Intern Bryan Costello
