The task facing the women's team was not much less intimidating. In addition to BU and Yale, the Crimson had to deal with a Florida team ranked third in the nation.

Florida started the tournament with a vengence, taking six of the first seven spots in the 500 freestyle and also winning the 50 freestyle, 200-freestyle relay, and 400-medley relay.

Harvard rebounded quickly, however, behind the performance of senior Deborah Kory, the winner of the 200-individual medley and the the highest of four Crimson swimmers who placed.

Thereafter the women's performance mirrored the men's: few victories, but enough solid finishes to secure an overall triumph.

The Crimson placed in three of eight spots in the 400 freestyle relay, three-of-seven in the 200 butterfly and 400 medley relay, four-of-eight in the 100 freestyle and a spectacular six-of-eight in the 50 freestyle.

Kory's triumph in the 200 breaststroke on the Invitational's final day helped to secure the victory. Overall, Harvard's score of 984 edged Florida's 912, with Yale and BU a distant third and fourth, respectively. Once again, the Invitational's format was crucial to the Crimson's victory.

"We didn't really expect to win," says senior Kristan Gately, who placed fourth in the 50 Freestyle and raced on the "A" relay team. "Florida is really talented--everyone's on scholarship, and they're really fast swimmers. We have a lot of depth and a lot of people, and Florida didn't have that many."

Although she acknowledges that the meet was not as important to the team as Ivy League contests, Gately says that the "swimming against swimmers of another level" successfully was "a great confidence builder."

She also hopes that racing in the Invitational will better prepare the team for February's Eastern championships, an event for which she says the team wants to be "at a peak." Each event features three consecutive days of swimming.