Nov. 21, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Richmond women's swimming & diving team opened competition in the Terrapin Cup Thursday and the team is seventh overall after the meet's first day. The event continues through Saturday at the University of Maryland.

Both the Spider 200 free relay and 400 medley relay posted sixth-place finishes on Thursday. The 200 free relay of freshman Charlotte Brackett, junior Katie Sieben, senior Alex Helland and freshman Liz Cohan finished in a time of 1:37.20, while the 400 medley relay of Helland, senior Lauren Beaudreau, Sieben and Brackett finished in 3:54.11.

Beaudreau turned in a ninth-place finish in the 200 IM in a time of 2:06.39, while Brackett was 13th in the 50 free (24.35) and freshman Alexi Kuska was 19th in the 500 free (5:05.14).

"Alexi was brave tonight in her 500 free," said head coach Matt Barany. "She improved her time from the morning and did it with aggression. Lauren was tough at the end of her 200 IM tonight. The IM is a special event for her and she appears to be climbing back into the IM ring again. It's fun to watch her race this event, and tonight she was back at it."

Maryland leads the 10-team women's meet with 242 points.

The meet continues Friday in College Park.