By Sports Editor Dylan Botehlo.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Women’s Swimming and Diving team finished second at the 2019 Little East Conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships last Saturday at the Tripp Natatorium.

The Corsairs compiled a team score of 281.5 points on Saturday, but were topped by Keene State in the competition, who won their 13th straight championship with a total score of 535 points. Following the Corsairs were Westfield State with 234 points and Eastern Connecticut with 210.5. This is UMass Dartmouth’s fifth second place finish in the competition since its inception in 2000, with their last second place finish coming in 2007.

The Corsairs team score was recorded on the back of some very impressive individual finishes. First year athlete Maddie Kovach took home top honors in the 220-yard backstroke, setting a UMass Dartmouth university record in the event with a time of 2:11.15. Kovach would set another university record in the 100-yard backstroke with her time of 1:01.48 that earned her second place in the event.

The 1,000-yard freestyle was won by junior Sarah Murphy, taking home the win with a time of 11:21.15. Junior Molly Harrington was also among the individual conference champions on the Corsairs team, as she shared victory in the 50-yard freestyle with Eastern Connecticut sophomore Megan Lasto with times of 25.06.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Women’s Swimming and Diving team will be back in action of February 21st, travelling to Cambridge, Massachusetts to compete at the 2019 New England Swimming and Diving Championships at MIT.