WORCESTER -- The Women's Swimming and Diving team returned to competition for the first time this semester as WPI played hosts to a quartet of opponents. The Engineers squared off against NEWMAC Rival Wellesley with Division 2 programs, Adelphi (NY), Bentley, and Felician (NY) joining in on the action.  The Engineers came out on top in three of the four contests, defeating Adelphi 171-82, Bentley 158-121 and Felician 71-110, but fell short against Wellesley 136-154. 
 
The Engineers started the meet off with a strong performance in the 200 medley relay as sophomore Maria Korneva (Boylston, MA), first-year Audrey Cook (Wakefield, MA), sophomore Sarah Kang (Richmond, VA), and junior Katrina Waite (Falmouth, ME), posted the second fastest time of the meet, going 1:53.25. Kang, who split 26.60 (the second fastest split in the field), improved upon her second place relay finish as the Virginia native swept all three of her individual events. 
 
Kang quickly returned to the pool, winning the 200 free, with the lone sub-2:00 time as she hit the wall in 1:59.39. The event saw a strong showing from the Engineers as in the field of 17 swimmers, the Engineers occupied four of the top ten spots and three of the top five, as Kang was joined on the proverbial podium by fellow sophomore Kate Creusere (Las Cruces, NM), who touched less than a second back in second with a result of 2:00.32. Placing fifth in a time of 2:04.76, a season-best, was Milena Whitney (Bedford, NH).
 
Kang, good form continued into the 200 fly, where she won by a margin of over seven seconds as she cruised into the wall, stopping the clock in 2:11.48 with fellow Engineers, Allie Marvell (Manchester, NH) and Amber Jacobs (Cedar Falls, IA) putting up strong performances of 2:26.34 and 2:31.82 to finish 6th and 10th respectively. After the break, Kang took to the water for her last event, the 100 fly, which saw her closest margin of victory as she out touched Wellesley's Lucy Choe, 59.14 to 59.50. Senior Rachel Tsang (Acton, MA) joined Kang in the top 10, placing sixth overall (1:04.41).
 
Kang was not alone in claiming an event win on the day, as Creusere added to her second place in the 200 free, with a victory in the 500 free, taking the win in 5:23.81, the lone sub-5:25 time. Not too far back were Jacobs and Marvell, who touched fifth and sixth overall at 5:32.47 and 5:32.97. The sophomore class was not the lone event winners as first-year Mallory LaPointe (St. John's, FL) add valuable points as she took the win in the 100 free, going 55.37. In the sprint, she was joined by fourth place finisher Waite at 56.70 and sophomore Sophie Robinson (Westborough, MA) whose 57.09 was good for sixth overall. LaPointe was the team's top finisher in the 100 back (1:01.48 - 3rd) and in the 200 IM (2:14.95 - 3rd).
 
The Floridian added another 3rd as she teamed with Whitney, Creusere and Waite in the 400 Free relay, with the quartet finishing in a time of 3:48.39. 
 
The Engineers, now 5-9, will head north to Colby for a dual against the Mules slated to start at 1pm on Saturday, the 17th of January.