ROWING BEGINS SEASON BY SWEEPING SANTA CLARA HANDILY IN EVERY RACE

3/7/2009

GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- The Sacramento State women’s rowing team opened its spring season by posting victories in the varsity eight, novice eight, varsity four and novice competitions against Santa Clara Saturday morning on Lake Natoma at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.

Winners of two of the last three Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) team championships, the Hornets began the year in impressive fashion, winning all four races by at least 30 seconds. Both the Hornets and Broncos compete for the Jim Farwell Cup in the varsity eight race, and Sacramento State was able to win the Cup for the sixth consecutive year, defeating Santa Clara by more than 35 seconds over 2,000 meters.

Despite using a top boat that was missing potential student-athletes because of injury, Sacramento State’s varsity eight posted a winning time of 6:59.0 over 2,000 meters, comfortably ahead of Santa Clara’s time of 7:34.7. The Hornets’ second varsity eight also competed in the race, finishing second with a time of 7:14.1.

In the novice eight race, Sacramento State posted a winning time of 7:24.3, defeating Santa Clara’s novice by nearly a minute (8:23.3). The varsity four competition saw Sacramento State boats take the top three places with times of 7:47.1, 8:06.8 and 8:13.1, respectively. Santa Clara’s top finishing boat posted an 8:17.7. The Hornets’ second varsity four, which posted the 8:06.8 time, featured all novice rowers.

In the novice four, Sacramento State finished in the top two places with times of 8:12.7 and 8:49.8 while Santa Clara finished a distant third at 9:14.9.

“Our times weren’t quite what we wanted, but we won our races by a wide margin and felt pretty good about that,” Sacramento State head coach Mike Connors said. “We still have a lot to work on, and we’ve been juggling our lineups trying to get everyone healthy. All things considered, I think today was a good start to our season.”

The Hornets return to the water next Saturday, March 14, when the team hosts the Sacramento State Invitational. Saint Mary’s, Pacific, Humboldt State, Sonoma State and Cal’s lightweights will compete at the regatta, along with Sacramento State. Next week will mark the second of eight home spring regattas on the Hornets’ schedule.

SACRAMENTO STATE’S LINEUPS

VARSITY EIGHT (A)
cox - Teresa Seich, stroke - Holly Hopkins, 7 - Kellie Cook, 6 - Alicia Tarkenton, 5 - Heather Hopkins, 4 - Anne Morrison, 3 - Megan Riggs, 2 - Elizabeth Danielson, bow - Tori Jackson

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT (B)
cox - Jessa Carlson, stroke - Dani Thole, 7 - Sandra Miller, 6 - Madeleine Folco, 5 - Joanne Stacy, 4 - Sarah Slagle, 3 - Ruthie Van Esso, 2 - Angela Stassi, bow - Rebecca Woolston

NOVICE EIGHT
cox - Julia Meese, stroke - Emily Airoldi, 7 - Pam Kline, 6 - Katie Whitmire, 5 - Stacy Wilson, 4 - Caitlin Brennan, 3 - Sadeeka Dosu, 2 - Charlotte Dolan, bow - Jessica Beahm

VARSITY FOUR (A)
cox - Erin DeGoede, stroke - Holly Hopkins, 3 - Riggs, 2 - Tarkenton, bow - Jackson

SECOND VARSITY FOUR (B) - novice crew
cox - Meese, stroke - Whitmire, 3 - Dosu, 2 - Brennan, bow - Kline

THIRD VARSITY FOUR (C)
cox - Ashley Edwards, stroke - Thole, 3 - Miller, 2 - Stassi, bow - Abigail Macaraig

NOVICE FOUR (A)
cox - Brittany Ayala, stroke - Dolan, 3 - Beahm, 2 - Lara Saliwanchik, bow - Caitlin Scott

SECOND NOVICE FOUR (B)
cox - Gabriella Walker, stroke - Arianna Auvil, 3 - Kline, 2 - Sarah Pivonka, bow - Barbara Jacobson

SACRAMENTO STATE’S TIMES

VARSITY EIGHT
1. Sacramento State A  6:59.0
2. Sacramento State B  7:14.1
3. Santa Clara  7:34.7

NOVICE EIGHT
1. Sacramento State  7:24.3
2. Santa Clara  8:23.3

VARSITY FOUR
1. Sacramento State A  7:47.1
2. Sacramento State B  8:06.8
3. Sacramento State C  8:13.1
4. Santa Clara A  8:17.7
5. Santa Clara B  8:45.3

NOVICE FOUR
1. Sacramento State A  8:12.7
2. Sacramento State B  8:49.8
3. Santa Clara  9:14.9