Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Defending champion Williams College took a commanding first-day lead at the 2006 NESCAC Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday. The Ephs received a strong showing from senior Lindsay Payne, who picked up a victory in the 50 freestyle and led her squad to a pair of relay wins. Williams (691 points) will enter day two with a lead over nearest competitors Middlebury (554.50) and Amherst (447.50).

Payne set a NESCAC Championship record in the 50 freestyle event, posting a time of 23.40 in the final. The time broke the mark set by Connecticut College's Kate Kovenock in the 2005 championship. Payne also anchored the winning 200 freestyle relay team and went third in the victorious 400 medley relay, setting a new pool record in the process.

Colby, Amherst and Middlebury all had multiple winners on Friday, with the Mules getting wins from Kel Norsworthy in the 50-yard breaststoke (29.15) and Kelsey Potdevin in the 50-yard backstroke (27.82). Middlebury's Marika Ross captured the 50-yard butterfly event (25.87), while Alanna Hanson won the one-meter dive for the Panthers (419.10) in a close competition with Bowdoin's Victoria Tudor (417.90) as the pair both eclipsed the Greason Pool record. Amherst received a pair of wins as well from Meghan Stern in the 500-yard freestyle (5:02.22) and Brittany Sasser in the 200-yard IM (2:05.93).

Real-time results for the championship can be found at http://www.pjmm.net/results.html