Mermaids Take Third Place In Big New England Meet

The Radcliffe swimming team placed third Saturday in the sixth annual Women's New England Swimming and Diving Meet. Thirteen schools participated in the meet which was held at Middlebury, Vt.

Springfield and Southern Connecticut won the first and second prize trophies respectively.

"The meet was very important to get qualifying times for the nationals," Coach Alice B. McCabe said yesterday. "Despite the fact that only six girls went to the meet, and some had exams Friday, we managed to get eight times which qualify for the nationals."

Mere Week

The meet is the biggest before the Easterns which are next month. the nationals follow the Easterns by a mere week.

"The meet should have been enormously rewarding to the girls," McCabe said.

The mermaids took eleven medals in addition to their third place trophy.

Connie Cervilla took Radcliffe's only individual first in the 50-yard butterfly. Her time was the best ever.

Captain Roann Costin provided the team with two seconds in the 200- and 400-yard freestyles.

The two teamed up with Nancy Sato and Jean Sinnott to place first in the 400-yard freestyle relay and take a second in the 200-yard medley relay.

Lacks Formidable Diving

McCabe said that the fourth place finish in the diving competition was excellent a Radcliffe has never had a formidable diving team prior to this year.