The women’s swimming team is riding high after wins in six of its last nine matches, including a dominating 5-0 performance in the Cardinal Invitational. The team now stands at 8-4 on the year with a pair of regular-season meets remaining.

Wesleyan simply overwhelmed its competition in the Cardinal Invitational; the Cardinals’ team score of 1205.5 eclipsed Hamilton (1008), Clark (721), Trinity (470), W.P.I. (476.5), and Cabrini (313). Wesleyan recorded 12 first-place finishes during the meet, led by Cara Madden ’11, who had first-place finishes in the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard backstroke events. Janine Zaltsman ’11 finished first in the 50- and 100-yard butterfly, and Carly Bollinger ’09 and Julia Fram ’12 each recorded first-place finishes in the 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard breaststroke, respectively. The Cardinals also achieved first-place times in the 200-yard medley and 800-yard freestyle relays. On the diving side, Roynan Krebs ’11 posted a first-place score of 212.10 in the one-meter event.

Wesleyan traveled to Williams for a tri-meet against Tufts and the host Ephs on Jan. 17. The Cardinals fell to both opponents, however, losing to Tufts 205-92 and Williams, an opponent they have never beaten, 219-77. Madden again posted a first-place time in the 100-yard backstroke, and Zaltsman’s time of :55.46 in the 100-yard freestyle provided the only other first-place points for Wesleyan on the afternoon.

The Cardinals rebounded with a strong performance in a tri-meet at Connecticut College on Saturday. Wesleyan fell to the host Camels 179-115 but defeated Colby-Sawyer 120-80. Madden again came in first in the 100-yard backstroke (and finished just .16 seconds behind the first-place finisher in the 200-yard race), and Bollinger recorded another first-place finish in the 200-yard IM. Zaltsman also recorded a first-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle event, and Krebs secured first-place finishes in the one- and three-meter diving events.

This weekend, the Cardinals will travel to Bowdoin for a tri-meet with the host Polar Bears as well as Colby. Bowdoin has won two straight against Wesleyan, but the Cardinals have prevailed in the last three meets against the Polar Bears in Brunswick. Wesleyan and Colby have split their last four meetings, with the Cardinals coming away with a 155-137 victory in Middletown last season.