Harvard also used its home-pool advantage to the fullest.
"One of the reasons we held on was because of the support," Kory said. "Anytime we won, there were waves of emotion."
Unfortunately, Princeton nudged Harvard out at the end, winning with 635 points to Harvard's 604 points.
The freshman class proved to be a strong shot in the arm for the team, with Stephanie Lawrence winning the 100-yard backstroke in the Princeton duel meet and Mary Naber finishing second in the 100-yard butterfly at Easterns.
"The freshmen were fabulous," Kory said. "They had a lot of spirit and motivation, and they were very solid swimmers."
Behind every successful team is a fine coach, and the women's swim team, with head Coach Maura Costin Scalise, was no exception.
"I've never had a coaching experience like I've had here," Gilson said. "I don't think our season would have been possible without our coaches."