The room was filled with the stark smell of chlorine and the echoing cheers of their teammates. Arriving at the Westfield YMCA for their second meet of the year, the girls swim team was ready to continue their streak of dominance and victory after their first win against Union 137-19 — they did not fall short, delivering a commanding performance by winning 116-54.
The Blue Devils validated their win during the eighth event, the 200-yard freestyle relay. In lane four, junior Amelia Nath, senior captain Ava Contract, sophomore Lily Ricigliano and senior Mina Pektas placed first. Lane two, made up of sophomore Hannah Doll, senior Meena Oberoi, sophomore Elizabeth Williamson and sophomore Emily Dubeck, placed third. By earning 10 points in this event, the girls solidified their win, putting them over the Cougars 86-38.
Last season, Westfield lost to Cranford 90-80. Contract said, “We definitely came into this meet not taking Cranford lightly.” Considering the tension surrounding their loss last year, this meet was a way for the girls to prove themselves early in their season. Junior Jane Kavanagh agreed with Contract, remarking on how it was a close meet, and this year, they came in “wanting to win.”
The team swept the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle. The 100-yard freestyle was won by sophomore Allison Dubeck who swam a time of 57.27, Ricigliano placing second with a time of 57.44 and Pektas placing third with a time of 1:03.07. The 200-yard freestyle was won by Ricigliano who swam a time of 2:02.69, freshman Eva Lubenow placing second with a time of 2:10.19 and sophomore Eleanor Lucas placing third with a time of 2:14.07, respectively
“This was sort of the first test for us,” said head coach Steve Whittington. “The whole meet left me wanting more. There’s a lot of talent that we have on the team, and I think putting people in the right spots for the right conditions is going to be crucial for now and for the rest of the season.”
The girls are back in action on Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. against Kent Place at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. Contract said, “This win against Cranford is definitely ego-boosting. Going into Kent Place tomorrow is going to be a hard meet. But having the team come together is what’s gonna help us win.
