Synchronized Swimming Places Seventh at East Regional Champ
Adele A. Schwab
The Synchronized Swimming Club took seventh place at the East Collegiate Regional Championships with a combined score of 41.5 points last weekend at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. Canisius College’s varsity team, which has regularly placed high nationally, finished first with a score of 100 points. Keuka College placed second with a score of 80 points, followed by Wheaton College’s varsity team (77) and Boston University’s club team (57).
MIT was represented by swimmers in both the “C” (intermediate) and “D” (novice) divisions of the technical element competition. In the intermediate competition, Anna J. Simon ’10 placed 9th with a score of 60.000, short of the 66.727 points scored by top intermediate swimmer Sonvje Ryen from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass.
In the novice competition, the Engineers had a particularly consistent competition, averaging over 50 points. Karen L. Chu ’08 earned 13th place with a score of 53.289, followed by teammates Joanna Rodriguez-Noyola ’09 (15th), Lucia T. Tian ’08 (16th), Adele A. Schwab ’08 (19th), Sarah F. Ackley ’08 (25th), and Mindy Eng ’10 (27th). Michelle Juarbe of Canisius College won the novice competition with a score of 61.855.
MIT also performed well in the routine portion of the competition. Rodriguez-Noyola placed 9th with a score of 66.333 in the solo competition, followed by Schwab at 10th with a score of 57.177. In the duet competition, Ackley and Eng performed a piece choreographed by Alyse Wu ’08, placing 9th with a score of 63.500. Rachel B. Licht ’10 and Irene M. Kaplow ’10 have also competed in the duet competition this season but were unable to attend this meet.
In the trio competition, Tian, Chu, and Simon earned a score of 55.667 in a routine choreographed by Tenley D. McHarg ’04 to tie for sixth place with a trio from the University of Pennsylvania. Andrea J. Hawksley G also swam the routine during this season.
The team’s routine, featuring members Chu, Rodriguez-Noyola, Tian, Schwab, Ackley, Eng, and Simon edged out Pennsylvania State University’s B Team for 8th place with a score of 66.250, barely falling behind the University of Pennsylvania’s score of 67.000.
The club, which welcomes new members who have good basic swimming skills, is planning an exhibition with Boston University later this spring.