NEW YORK – The Cornell women's swimming and diving team put up a great effort against Columbia, notching six individual event wins and posting a pair of Big Red all-time top-10 marks, before ultimately falling to the Lions, 164-136, on Sunday afternoon at the Percy Uris Natatorium in New York.

In her Cornell women's swimming and diving debut, Taylor Knibb didn't waste any time making history, cracking Cornell's all-time top-10 list in the 1,000-yard freestyle in the very first race of her career. Knibb finished second overall with the ninth-fastest time in the Big Red record books (10:13.72), pacing a Cornell squad that went 2-3-4 in the event. Lavona Harper (10:19.13) and Gillian Caverly (10:28.34) finished third and fourth, respectively.

The Big Red's 400-yard freestyle relay team of Laurel Kiselis, Melissa Parker, Chloe Mikles, and Maegan Rudolph joined Knibb on the Big Red's top-10 list, winning the relay with the ninth-fastest time (3:25.83) in program history. Parker has been an integral member of several relays that have made Cornell history so far this season, as the freshman has swam a leg on all three relays that have made the cut for the Big Red's top-10 list during the 2019-20 campaign.

Rudolph's success on Sunday extended beyond the relay, as the junior won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:01.74. Kiselis also shined in her respective individual events, winning the 100-yard freestyle and helping Cornell sweep the podium in the event. With Kiselis at the forefront, the Big Red went 1-2-3 in the 100-yard freestyle, as Kiselis (51.15), Mikles (52.02), and Parker (52.21) all touched the wall one after another.

The Big Red showed that strength comes in numbers in several other events as well, claiming the top-two spots in the 200-yard backstroke and 500-yard freestyle. Caverly was the top finisher in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing first in 2:04.08, while Aviva Muñoz placed just behind in second (2:04.12). Sophia Cherkez won the 500-yard freestyle in 4:57.67 and Knibb placed second in 4:58.00 for her second top-three finish of the day.

In the diving events, Demetra Williams and Elise Jendritz each scored points for the Big Red in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions. Williams emerged victorious in the 1-meter, winning the event with 269.17 points, while Jendritz finished third (259.43). It was then Jendritz who led Cornell in the 3-meter, placing second with 286.65 points.

The Big Red women's swimming and diving team will return to the pool when it squares off against Yale in an Ivy League matchup on Jan. 17-18 in New Haven, Conn. The diving events are scheduled for a 5 p.m. start on Friday, Jan. 17, with the swimming events following on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 11 a.m.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

200-yard Medley Relay
2nd – Isabel Chien, Cape Murch Elliot, Lexi Schaaf, Laurel Kiselis (1:44.50)

50-yard Freestyle
2nd - Laurel Kiselis (23.34)

200-yard Freestyle
2nd - Sophia Cherkez (1:51.51)
3rd - Melissa Parker (1:52.53)
4th - Chloe Mikles (1:53.08)

100-yard Backstroke
3rd - Aviva Muñoz (57.82)

100-yard Breaststroke
2nd - Cape Murch Elliot (1:04.15)

100-yard Butterfly
2nd - Lexi Schaaf (55.42)
3rd - Maegan Rudolph (55.55)

400-yard IM
3rd - Sophia Cherkez (4:23.14)