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April 4, 2009

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Facing the biggest regular-season challenge by its peers since beginning a string of four straight NCAA Division II national championships in 2005, the Western Washington University women's varsity eight rose to the occasion Saturday at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Invitational Regatta held on Vancouver Lake.

The Vikings, rated No.1 in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll, dominated the DII women's eight race that included two out- of-region national rivals, Dowling NY and Rollins FL, winning by more than two boat lengths.

Western toured the 2,000-meter course in 7:13.80, followed by Dowling (7:24.06), Seattle Pacific (7:28.14), Humboldt State (7:35.24), Rollins FL (7:37.23) and UC San Diego (7:54.86). It marked the first time during any regular season that the Vikings faced NCAA II competition from outside the West Region.

Later that day, that same Viking shell won the women's open eight with a 7:10.70 clocking, a little over three seconds ahead of Dowling (7:13.75), with Orange Coast a distant third (7:32.47) in the six-boat race.

"The first race they were rowing in really good conditions, but in the second one it got really rough," said Western coach John Fuchs. "Dowling put up a great fight in the second one."

Seated in Western's double-win varsity shell were coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No.6 Jean Piette (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.5 Megan Northey (Fr., Brier/King's), No.4 Katie Woolsey (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si), No.3 Heather Kelly (Jr., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage), No.2 Madeleine Eckmann (Jr., Winthrop/Liberty Bell) and bow Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central).

But while the varsity eight was enjoying success, the Western women's varsity four placed second in each of its three races. The Vikings lost to Humboldt State by nearly seven seconds in the DII varsity four race, and were beaten twice by host Lewis & Clark OR in the open four heat and final runs, each time by five seconds.

That marked the first time since the 2004 national championships that a Western varsity shell had lost to anyone other than a Division I school in four or eight competition.

"They struggled a little bit today," Fuchs said. "Having only three practices this week definitely had an impact on how they handled the racing today. There's definitely some work that has to be done in that area."

The Western women's novice four posted two victories, winning by nearly a minute in its heat over runner-up Puget Sound and by over a minute in the final with Oregon second.

Seated in that shell were coxswain Alix Crilly (Fr., Wenatchee), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC), No.3 Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap), No.2 Kelsey Baker (Fr., Gig Harbor) and bow Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap).

"It was impressive and in really bad conditions," said Fuchs. "They really pulled it together and it was pretty amazing to watch."

The Vikings' second women's novice eight won with a time of 7:24.79, placing well ahead of two Humboldt State shells in a five-boat race. The third women's varsity eight finished fourth in the second varsity eight race.

The start of the regatta was delayed for two hours because of early-morning fog.

"The team really had a good regatta as a whole," Fuchs said. "It's a work in progress, but they're getting there ... All in all it was pretty good racing everywhere."

Western next makes its only home appearance of the season at the Viking Invitational on Saturday, Apr. 11 (10 a.m.) at Lake Samish.

Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Invitational Regatta April 4 - Vancouver, Wash. - Vancouver Lake Results

DIII Women's Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:23.03, 2. Willamette 7:27.40, 3. Orange Coast 7:28.41, 4. Pacific Lutheran 7:42.66, 5. Lewis & Clark 7:54.69, 6. Portland State 8:13.93.

DII Women's Varsity 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:13.80, 2. Dowling NY 7:24.06, 3. Seattle Pacific 7:28.14, 4. Humboldt State 7:35.24, 5. Rollins FL 7:37.23, 6. UC San Diego 7:54.86.

DII Women's Varsity 4 - 1. Humboldt State 8:18.90, 2. Western Washington 8:25.18, 3. UC San Diego 8:31.24, 4. Rollins 9:01.77.

DIII Women's 2nd Varsity 8 - 1. Willamette 7:47.07, 2. Puget Sound 7:47.08, 3. Western Washington (4th V8 - Exh.) 8:15.64. 4. Pacific Lutheran 8:17.34.

Men's Novice 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:08.25, 2. Oregon 7:24.42, 3. Pacific Lutheran 7:49.54, 4. Evergreen State 8:31.95.

Men's Varsity 4 Heat 1 - 1. Puget Sound 7:21.64, 2. Seattle Pacific 7:28.00, 3. Willamette 7:30.59, 4. Humboldt State 7:36.37, 5. Puget Sound 7:49.34, 6. Portland State 8:35.53, 7. Seattle U.-A 8:48.97.

Men's Varsity 4 Heat 2 - 1. Rollins 6:52.70, 2. Willamette 7:06.07, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:09.70, 4. Seattle U.-B 7:21.05, 5. California Maritime 7:21.42, 6. Pacific Lutheran 7:27.75, 7. Oregon 7:51.72.

Men's Varsity 4 Final - 1. Rollins 7:02.70, 2. Puget Sound 7:08.22, 3. Seattle Pacific 7:22.12, 4. Willamette-B 7:25.78, 5. Lewis & Clark 7:28.80, 6. Willamette-A 7:39.28.

Women's 2nd Novice 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:24.79, 2. Humboldt State-A 7:47.59, 3. Humboldt State-B 7:58.18, 4. Willamette 8:00.89, 5. Pacific Lutheran 8:21.39.

Women's Lightweight 4 - 1. Willamette 8:25.76, 2. UC San Diego 9:06.96, 3. Evergreen State 9:07.27.

Women's Novice 8 - 1. Humboldt State 7:41.44, 2. Puget Sound 7:45.35, 3. Pacific Lutheran 7:55.71, 4. Portland State 7:57.13, 5. Willamette 8:18.01, 6. Seattle U. 8:25.85, 7. Oregon 8:44.31.

Women's Varsity 4 Heat 1 - 1. Lewis & Clark 8:21.60, 2. Western Washington 8:26.61, 3. California Maritime 8:52.47, 4. Seattle Pacific DNF.

Women's Varsity 4 Heat 2 - 1. Puget Sound 8:40.60, 2. Seattle U. 8:53.05, 3. Portland 8:55.64, 4. Oregon 9:02.64, 5. UC San Diego 9:23.86.

Women's Varsity/Open 4 Final - 1. Lewis & Clark 8:18.67, 2. Western Washington 8:23.02, 3. Puget Sound 8:27.53, 4. California Maritime 8:29.55, 5. Portland 8:46.57, 6. Seattle U. 8:49.00, 7. Oregon 9:06.64.

Women's Junior Varsity 4 - 1. Seattle Pacific 8:20.37, 2. Humboldt State 8:45.00, 3. UC San Diego 9:38.65.

Men's Novice 4 - 1. Lewis & Clark 7:19.60, 2. Seattle Pacific 7:45.69, 3. Puget Sound 7:52.85, 4. Humboldt State 7:57.87, 5. Willamette 8:21.48, 6. Evergreen State 8:30.31, 7. Oregon 8:46.05.

Women's Novice 4 Heat 1 - 1. Western Washington 8:17.40, 2. Puget Sound 9:11.79, 3. Oregon-B 9:24.26, 4. Seattle U. 10:16.47.

Women's Novice 4 Heat 2 - 1. Oregon-A 8:52.00, 2. Puget Sound 8:58.92, 3. Evergreen State 9:19.66, 4. Lewis & Clark 9:25.77.

Women's Novice 4 Final - 1. Western Washington 9:06.80, 2. Oregon-A 10:07.53, 3. Puget Sound 10:25.73, 4. Oregon-B 10:31.75, 5. Evergreen State 11:10.17.

Women's 2nd Varsity 8 - 1. Pacific Lutheran 6:53.92, 2. Orange Coast 6:59.77, 3. Puget Sound 7:02.43, 4. Western Washington (3rd V8) 7:03.00, 5. Humboldt State 7:09.10, 6. Willamette 7:14.40.

Men's Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound-A 6:45.36, 2. Lewis & Clark 6:52.49, 3. Puget Sound-B 7:07.68, 4. Willamette 7:19.55, 5. California Maritime 7:27.00.

Women's Varsity/Open 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:10.70, 2. Dowling 7:13.75, 3. Orange Coast 7:32.47, 4. Puget Sound 7:36.02, 5. Willamette 7:45.02, 6. Seattle Pacific 7:50.50.

WWU Lineups:

DII Varsity 8 - coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No.6 Jean Piette (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.5 Megan Northey (Fr., Brier/King's), No.4 Katie Woolsey (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si), No.3 Heather Kelly (Jr., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage), No.2 Madeleine Eckmann (Jr., Winthrop/Liberty Bell), bow Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central)

DII Varsity 4 - coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (So., Bellevue), stroke Hilary Gastwirth (Sr., Issaquah/Liberty), No.3 Siri Carlson (So., Tacoma/Franklin Pierce), No.2 Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), bow Erin Bean (Sr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale)

2nd Varsity 8 - coxswain Daniella Armstrong (So., Eastsound/Orcas Island), stroke Mariana Cains (So., Walla Walla), No.7 Katrina Ozols (So., Kodiak, AK), No.6 Sara Malone (So., Mount Vernon), No.5 Sarah Seitz (So., Olympia/Avanti), No.4 Bethany Park (Fr., Covington/Kentwood), No.3 Mackenzie Wilson (Fr., Curlew), No.2 Christina Frattali (Fr., Spokane/West Valley), bow Tess Griswold (Fr., Tacoma/Stadium)

Varsity 4 - coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (So., Bellevue), stroke Hilary Gastwirth (Sr., Issaquah/Liberty), No.3 Siri Carlson (So., Tacoma/Franklin Pierce), No.2 Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), bow Erin Bean (Sr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale)

2nd Novice 8 - coxswain Daniella Armstrong (So., Eastsound/Orcas Island), stroke Katie Sauerbrey (So., Brush Prairie/Hockinson), No.7 Laura Mahon (Fr., Castle Rock/Mark Morris), No.6 Alyssa Dewey (Fr., Bend, OR/Mountain View), No.5 Alissa Schlecht (So., Corvallis, MT), No.4 Bethany Park (Fr., Covington/Kentwood), No.3 Mackenzie Wilson (Fr., Curlew), No.2 Mariana Cains (So., Walla Walla), bow Dani Dunlap (Fr., Seattle/Kennedy)

Novice 4 - coxswain Alix Crilly (Fr., Wenatchee), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC), No.3 Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap), No.2 Kelsey Baker (Fr., Gig Harbor), bow Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap)

Junior Varsity 8 - coxswain Kelsey McFarland (So., Tacoma/Fife), stroke Molly Blue (So., Snohomish), No.7 Katie Sauerbrey (So., Brush Prairie/Hockinson), No.6 Laura Mahon (Fr., Castle Rock/Mark Morris), No.5 Britney Bachmann (So., Everett/Cascade), No.4 Alissa Schlecht (So., Corvallis, MT), No.3 Alyssa Dewey (Fr., Bend, OR/Mountain View), No.2 Dani Dunlap (Fr., Seattle/Kennedy), bow Mariana Cains (So., Walla Walla)

Open 8- coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No.6 Jean Piette (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.5 Megan Northey (Fr., Brier/King's), No.4 Katie Woolsey (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si), No.3 Heather Kelly (Jr., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage), No.2 Madeleine Eckmann (Jr., Winthrop/Liberty Bell), bow Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central)