Gophers Race Past Gators for Second Win of Season

BALTIMORE, Md. — First place finishes in 7 of the 12 contested events, including two for freshman Lizzy Hannifin (Denver, Colo./East), led the Goucher women's swimming team to a 73-48 victory over Notre Dame (Md.) last night.

The Gophers (2-5) picked up their second win after having topped Gallaudet on Saturday, and they avenged a 123-99 loss to the Gators (1-1-1) from last season.

Goucher started the meet with a victory in the 160-yard medley relay, with the team of Kellyn Brower (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge), Marykate Malone (Gales Ferry, Conn./Ledyard), Sydney Patterson (Dallas, Texas/Woodrow Wilson) and Hannifin finishing 6.18 seconds faster than the second-place entrant.

Nicole Craver (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area) registered the first individual first place result of the night for the Gophers, completing the 200 freestyle in 2:06.34.

Brower and Lillian Eden (Ipswich, Mass./Westover (Conn.)) then finished placed first and second, respectively, in the 40 backstroke, while Malone and Tierney Doran (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) followed with a one-two performance in the 40 breaststroke.

Hannifin's two individual wins came in the 40 free and the 100 free. She recorded a 20.59 time in the 40 free, out-touching teammate Rebecca Kotula (Fallston, Md./John Carroll School) by 2.29 seconds. The pair also earned the top two spots in the 100 free, with Hannifin's 1:00.81 besting Kotula's 1:04.22.

Patterson picked up Goucher's final event win in the 40 butterfly. Her time of 24.88 topped Malone by .62 seconds.

The Gophers also placed first in the 160 individual medley and the 160 free relay to conclude the meet, but the team raced those events as exhibitions after already having clinched the victory, and all points went to the Gators. Brower's time of 1:56.88 in the 160 IM was over 21 seconds faster than anyone else in the race.

Goucher returns to Landmark action this weekend with a 1 p.m. meet at Catholic on Saturday.