The Hornets’ varsity eight will now advance to tomorrow’s Cal Cup grand final where the team will face Navy, Miami, Kansas State, UC Davis and St. Joseph’s at 11 a.m. The Hornets placed third in last year’s grand final and will be seeking the team’s first Cal Cup championship since 2000.

The Hornets won their heat with a time of 6:42.10, followed by Kansas State (6:44.13), Wisconsin Lightweights (6:45.25), Villanova (6:51.92), Long Beach State (6:55.47), Santa Clara (7:05.25) and Orange Coast College (7:13.16). The top two boats in each varsity eight heat advanced to the grand final, the third and fourth place teams advanced to the petite final and the remaining boats advanced to the third final.

The time of 6:42.10 was the fastest of the year for Sacramento State’s top boat, eclipsing the previous mark of 6:47.2, set against Santa Clara in the team’s first spring regatta of the season.

Sacramento State’s second varsity eight and novice eight also competed in today’s competition. The second varsity eight finished fifth in its heat, and then raced to a first-place time of 7:20.10 in the third final. Trailing the Hornets in the third final were Loyola (7:24.68), St. Joseph’s (7:27.57), Santa Clara (7:41.35) and San Diego B (7:52.00).

Despite posting the seventh-fastest time of the four heats, the Hornets’ novice eight advanced to the third final. Sacramento State’s heat time of 7:09.51 was faster than 16 other boats in the event, but the team placed fourth in its heat behind Cal, Kansas State and Notre Dame. Had the Hornets raced in any of the other three heats, the team would have reached the grand final but fell victim to being in the event’s toughest race. The Hornets’ time was also the fastest of any of the WIRA boats in the novice eight competition (the WIRA is the conference in which the Hornets reside).

Consequently, the novice eight won the third final by more than 10 seconds, finishing with a time of 7:24.30, followed by UC Davis (7:35.18) and UC Irvine (7:40.84) to round out the top three.

Sacramento State’s lineups were as follows:

VARSITY EIGHT: Ashley Platner at coxswain, Ashley Roundtree at stroke, Laura Harder at seven, Brittney Claycamp at six, Steffanie Jakovac at five, Aimee Chenard at four, Meghyn Cox at three, Janine LaCrosse at two and Constance Deslauriers at bow.

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT: Cecilia Vina at coxswain, Ashley Loucks at stroke, Krista Hill at seven, Stephanie Ridlon at six, Justine Fernandez at five, Jenna Duale at four, Kristin Carlson at three, Coralie Wilhite at two and Teresa Bitcon at bow.

NOVICE EIGHT: Hannah Shaw at coxswain, Anne Morrison at stroke, Ruthie Van Esso at seven, Kyle Johnston at six, Kelli Linker at five, Alicia Tarkenton at four, Megan Riggs at three, Dani Thole at two and Aleisha DeCindis at bow.

Saturday’s Sacramento State Women’s Results

Women’s Cal Cup, Heat 3 (Varsity Eight)

1. Sacramento State 6:42.10

2. Kansas State 6:44.13

3. Wisconsin Lightweights 6:45.25

4. Villanova 6:51.92

5. Long Beach State 6:55.47

6. Santa Clara 7:05.25

7. Orange Coast College 7:13.16

Women’s JV8, Heat 1

1. Cal 6:38.20

2. Stanford 6:41.45

3. Northeastern 6:48.86

4. Kansas State 6:56.87

5. Sacramento State 7:01.18

6. San Diego B 7:35.36

Women’s Collegiate Novice, Heat 1

1. Cal 6:49.00

2. Kansas State 6:56.49

3. Notre Dame 6:59.64

4. Sacramento State 7:09.51

5. Orange Coast College 7:55.69

Women’s JV8 Third Final

1. Sacramento State 7:20.10

2. Loyola 7:24.68

3. St. Joseph’s 7:27.57

4. Santa Clara 7:41.35

5. San Diego B 7:52.00

Women’s Collegiate Novice Third Final

1. Sacramento State 7:24.30

2. UC Davis 7:35.18

3. UC Irvine 7:40.84

4. Sonoma State 7:41.26

5. UC Santa Barbara 7:43.96

6. Colorado 7:59.14