Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Rowing Completes Successful Dad Vail Regatta with Two Boats in Finals
5/19/2005 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
May 14, 2005
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Bucknell women's rowing team advanced two of its three boats that competed Saturday on the Schuylkill River in the Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate regatta in the United States, from the semifinals to the finals. The novice eight placed fifth in the finals, while the varsity eight took second in the second level finals, which decides places 7-12. Both finishes were the best-ever in the history of the program. The varsity four narrowly missed the finals by placing third in its semifinal race Saturday. All three boats advanced to the semifinals based on their performances Friday, the first day of the two-day event.
The novice eight of coxswain-Hope Heffner, 8-Ariel Farrar-Wellman, 7-Amanda Gallina, 6-Katherine Brewster-Duffy, 5-Jennie Trayes, 4-Brittany Kaplan, 3-Jayne Kubat, 2-Jessica Glenn and 1-Sophie Bird won its semifinal race, nipping Connecticut by .54 seconds with a time of 8 minutes, 00.32 seconds. The Bison and Huskies earned berth in the finals with their outstanding performances. Creighton was a close third in 8:02.14. Bucknell claimed fifth in the finals, completing the 2,000-meter course in 7:58.04. Buffalo took the title in 7:42.26, while Long Beach (7:54.32), Connecticut (7:54.33) and St. Joseph's (7:54.41) were in a tight battle for second place as they crossed the line within .09 seconds of each other. Michigan State (8:00.75) took home sixth place in the six-team field. Bucknell's fifth-place finish was impressive as 36 total teams were entered in the novice eight heats, which were contested Friday.
"The novice eight showed a lof of heart in each of their three races this weekend," praised head coach Stephen Kish. "Coach (Katie) Davis has done a great job with this special group of first-year rowers."
With a time of 7:40.31 and a fourth-place finish in the semifinals the varsity eight of coxswain-Coral Swartz, 8-Danielle Monteverde, 7-Jenna Kotyk, 6-Alexis Will, 5-Laura Roberts, 4-Lauren Ewald, 3-Kara Schroepfer, 2-Lauren Olsen and 1-Erin Henry earned a spot in the second level finals. The top two boats advanced to the finals, while the next two moved to the second level final. The Bison were less than four seconds from a second-place showing as Eastern Michigan took runner-up honors with a time of 7:36.40. Dayton crossed the line next in 7:37.89. Connecticut claimed first in 7:31.94. Buffalo (7:46.39) and Loyola (8:04.08) rounded out the field. Bucknell improved on its time by more than nine seconds in the second final, crossing the line second in 7:31.16, edging out third-place Dayton, a crew that defeated the Bison by nearly 30 seconds earlier this season, by .54 seconds. Vermont (7:33.26) and St. Joseph's (7:35.02) were each within four seconds. Patriot League foe Lehigh finished last with a time of 7:47.96, while Santa Barbara claimed the title in 7:20.54. The Bucknell varsity eight raced four times in the two-day Dad Vail Regatta, which featured 33 boats in the varsity eight classification. The Bison claimed eighth overall out of those 33 teams.
"The varsity eight had an amazing weekend," extolled Kish. "The way they applied what they learned from each race was impressive. I have never been so happy for a crew and I couldn't have asked for more from them."
The varsity four of coxswain-Jessica Scott, 4-Susan Shadle, 3-Cara Cox-Steiner, 2-Jennifer Prunoske and 1-Courtney Luzzi had won three consecutive races entering Saturday, but became the only Bison squad in action Saturday to not make the finals, missing out by less than one second. The Bison timed in at 8:42.61 to finish third, less than a second behind second-place Bates (8:41.72). The top two teams earned a berth in the finals. Union won the race with a time of 8:30.93. Northwestern (8:43.22) was just behind Bucknell in fourth place in the semifinals, while Catholic University (8:52.0) and Connecticut (9:15.89) completed the field.
Complete results of the 2005 Dad Vail Regatta can be found at http://www.dadvail.org/?d=11350095.744.
By placing two boats in the finals, Bucknell eclipsed last year's feat of advancing one boat to the finals. With the completion of the Dad Vail Regatta the 2005 Bison women's rowing season is now complete.
Results:
Novice Eight - Semifinals (top two to final)
Team Time
1. Bucknell 8:00.32
2. Connecticut 8:00.86
3. Creighton 8:02.14
4. Purdue 8:07.76
5. Dayton 8:09.53
6. Temple 8:37.49
Novice Eight - Finals
Team Time
1. Buffalo 7:42.26
2. Long Beach 7:54.32
3. Connecticut 7:54.33
4. St. Josephs 7:54.41
5. Bucknell 7:58.04
6. Michigan State 8:00.75
Varsity Four - Semifinals (top two to final)
Team Time
1. Union 8:30.93
2. Bates 8:41.72
3. Bucknell 8:42.61
4. Northwestern 8:43.22
5. Catholic U. 8:52.0
6. Connecticut 9:15.89
Varsity Eight - Semifinals (top two to finals; next two to second final)
Team Time
1. Connecticut 7:31.94
2. E. Michigan 7:36.40
3. Dayton 7:37.89
4. Bucknell 7:40.31
5. Buffalo 7:46.39
6. Loyola 8:04.08
Varsity Eight - Second Finals
Team Time
1. Santa Barbara 7:20.54
2. Bucknell 7:31.16
3. Dayton 7:31.70
4. Vermont 7:33.26
5. St. Josephs 7:35.02
6. Lehigh 7:47.96
