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April 11, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - In the featured race between two national powers, host Western Washington University won the women's varsity eight by one-half second over University of Puget Sound to close out a dual meet Saturday morning on Lake Samish.

The Vikings took four of the five women's races, also being victorious in the novice eight, second novice eight and third varsity four events. Puget Sound won the second varsity eight race.

The varsity eight match-up, pitted Western, ranked No.1 nationally in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division II Poll, against the Loggers, rated No.5 nationally in NCAA III.

"It was really rough at the beginning, the water was really bad, but they definitely got off the start quicker," said Western coach John Fuchs. "By the 1,000-meter mark they were pretty close to being even and then they pulled through. They did a really good job. They handled the conditions very well."

The Vikings were clocked in 6:58 over the 2,000-meter course, and Puget Sound was clocked in 6:58.5

That continued Western's streak of not losing to a non-Division I school, which began in 2005.

Seated in Western's winning varsity eight were coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), 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 Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap).

The Western men's club team competed in three races against the Puget Sound men. The Vikings won the novice four, with the Loggers being triumphant in the varsity eight and varsity four races.

During a break in the action, Western's newest shell was christened the Molly K in honor of Molly Kay Koch, the granddaughter of Betty Haskell, who donated the shell.

Betty Haskell (right) and granddaughter Molly Kay Koch

The women's varsity eight race was dedicated to members of Western's women's lightweight eight, who were there celebrating the 25th anniversary of a national title in 1984. The Vikings won that race by just .06 seconds over runner-up San Diego State at the Women's National Collegiate Rowing Championships held on Seattle's Green Lake.

"We had some pretty good performances overall," Fuchs said. "The JV boat was a little disappointed, but this squad overall is young and still learning. We're still a work in progress. All in all it was a great day."

The next competition for Western is Saturday, April 18, when the Vikings seek a fifth straight championship at the ninth annual Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships at Lake Stevens.

Results

Women's 3rd Varsity 4 - 1. Western Washington 8:22, 2. Puget Sound 8:27

Women's 2nd Novice 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:03, 2. Puget Sound 7:44

Women's Novice 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:11.9, 2. Puget Sound 8:00.0

Women's 2nd Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:07, 2. Western Washington-A 7:13, 3. Western Washington-B 7:41

Women's Varsity 8 - 1. Western Washington 6:58, 2. Puget Sound 6:58.5

Men's Varsity 4 - 1. Puget Sound-A 6:54.21, 2. Western Washington 6:56.84, 3. Puget Sound-B 7:31.77

Men's Novice 4 - 1. Western Washington 7:12.32, 2. Puget Sound 7:27.19

Men's Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound-A 6:19.54, 2. Western Washington 6:29.41, 3. Puget Sound-B 6:50.78

Western Washington Lineups

Women's Varsity 8 - coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), 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 Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap)

Women's 2nd Varsity 8-A coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (So., Bellevue), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC), No.7 Siri Carlson (So., Tacoma/Franklin Pierce), No. 6 Hilary Gastwirth (Sr., Issaquah/Liberty), No 5 Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap), No.4 Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No. 3 Erin Bean (Sr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), No.2 Kelsey Baker (Fr., Gig Harbor), bow Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield)

Women's 2nd Varsity 8-B - coxswain Kelsey McFarland (So., Tacoma/Fife), stroke Molly Blue (So., Snohomish), No.7 Katie Sauerbrey (So., Brush Prairie/Hockinson), No.6 Katrina Ozols (So., Kodiak, AK), No.5 Britney Bachmann (So., Everett/Cascade), No.4 Sarah Seitz (So., Olympia/Avanti), No.3 Sara Malone (So., Mount Vernon), No.2 Christina Frattali (Fr., Spokane/West Valley), bow Tess Griswold (Fr., Tacoma/Stadium)

Women's Novice 8 - coxswain Alix Crilly (Fr., Wenatchee), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC), 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 Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap), No.2 Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), bow Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap)

Women's 3rd Varsity 4 - coxswain Kelsey McFarland (So., Tacoma/Fife), stroke Molly Blue (So., Snohomish), No.3 Britney Bachmann (So., Everett/Cascade), No.2 Sarah Seitz (So., Olympia/Avanti), bow Sara Malone (So., Mount Vernon)

Women's 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)

Men's Varsity 8 - Coxswain Maggie Swidler, stroke Jason Syms, No.7 Myles Knutson, No.6 Andy Craig, No.5 Nick Goodman, No.4 Jeff Nesbitt, No.3 Bobby Marsee, No.2 Andrew Lapidus, bow Matt Reider

Men's Novice 4 - Coxswain Jo Krogh, stroke Jeff Nesbitt, No.3 Nick Goodman, No.2 Ken Tran, bow Pat Shum

Men's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Maggie Swidler, stroke Jason Syms, No.3 Myles Knutson, No.2 Andy Craig, bow Bobby Marsee

Puget Sound Lineups

Women's Varsity 8 - Coxswain Becca Davidson, stroke Bethany Scinta, No.7 Audrey Dohm, No.6 Kate Simeon, No.5 Sarah Moody, No.4 Rachael Mallon, No.3 Mariana Silliman, No.2 Taylor Anderson, bow Megan Rooson-Runge

Women's 2nd Varsity 8 - Coxswain Mary Redmon, stroke Emily Landeck, No.7Betsy Bayliss, No.6 Sophia Howe, No.5 Willa Schneider, No.4 Emma Ayers, No.3 Larissa Keeler, No.2 Ella White, bow Chelsea Asher

Women's 3rd Varsity 4 - Coxswain Julia Kruper, stroke Michelle Levesque, No.3 Kristin Parker, No.2 Amanda Gehris, bow Suzanne Taylor

Women's Novice 8 - Coxswain Ashley Teets, stroke Stella Mosher, No.7 Anna Houston, No.6 Della Elich, No.5 Sierra Gadaire, No.4 Jill Sanford, No.3 Mandy Warner, No.2 Maddi Werhane, bow Nora Wahlund

Women's 2nd Novice 8 - Coxswain Marilyn Gaupp, stroke Megan Burgmuller, No.7 Katie O'Brien, No.6 Teddi Harnel, No.5 Chris Gilbert, No.4 Kathy Hays, No.3Miranda Kent, No.2 Cha Fox, bow Kristen Delwiche

Men's Novice 4 - Coxswain Caroline Kellough, stroke Chris Lauth, No.3 Pat Olson, No.2 Dmitri Brown, bow Ian Stewart

Men's Varsity 4A - Coxswain Erick Peirson, No.3Ryan Donahue, No.2 Alex Mann, bow Dave Young, Alex Englund

Men's Varsity 4B - Coxswain Mahal Brillantes, stroke Jim Weber, No.3 Jordan Carelli, No.2 Ryan Tate, bow Jack Fitch

Men's Varsity 8A - Coxswain Erick Peirson, stroke Stephen Souvall, No.7 Ryan Donahue, No.6 Alex Mann, No.5 Alex Titus, No.4 Alex Englund, No.3 Dave Young, No.2 Luke Schwartzel, bow Amory Genter

Men's Varsity 8B - Coxswain Mahal Brillantes, stroke Jordan Carelli, No.7 Dash Gordon, No.6 Jack Fitch, No.5 Jim Weber, No.4 Stephen Blocklin, No.3 Ryan Tate, No.2 Andrew Clarke, bow Terry Ogburn

WWU ROWING: Late sprint lifts Vikings

JOE SUNNEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

With four freshmen sitting among its varsity eight and just two returners taking up the remaining four spots in their boat it's pretty clear that things are going to be a little different for the Western Washington University women's rowing team this season.

But the more things change for the four-time defending national champion Vikings, the more things stay the same. And the common denominator for the Vikings - as usual - is winning.

The Vikings' varsity eight narrowly edged the University of Puget Sound, winning by just half a second to cap their lone home meet of the season on Saturday, April 11, at Lake Samish.

Western, ranked No.1 in the nation in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division II poll, overcame some choppy water at the start to finish the 2,000-meter course in six minutes, 58 seconds. The Loggers' varsity eight clocked a 6:58.5.

"We've never had to sprint at all before for any of our races," junior Madeleine Eckmann said. "We've never really worked on our sprint at all even in practice this season. So having to sprint the last 250 meters, just so the freshmen even know what a sprint is and what it feels like, was good for us."

The win was just one more step toward making a run at a fifth national championship in what's been a season marked by an aggressive learning curve for a youthful WWU team. The Vikings next will look for their fifth consecutive crown at the ninth annual Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships at Lake Stevens.

"There have been years where we've never had a freshman in the boat so to have four has really been an adjustment," WWU coach John Fuchs said. "It makes for a big learning curve, but it also means we can make big strides. Right now I'm just so proud of them for being able to pull it out."

Close wins aren't something the Vikings have had to deal with much in recent years while tearing through the competition at the Division II ranks, but it's something that's probably inevitable with such an inexperienced group. The Vikings haven't lost a race to a non-Division I program in more than four years.

"Our rate came up pretty easy and we were able to take the race, which felt pretty good," senior Audrey Coon said. "That was something we hadn't really practiced. And while I think it has its merits to just pull it out on race day, if it looks like that's something we'll have to do the rest of the season then we'll be sure to practice that from now on. That's kind of a make or break sort of thing and we want to be sure we make it every time."

All things considered the Vikings' varsity eight was pleased with its time and once again saw some major improvement on the water.

"The speed is coming," Fuchs said. "That's something that takes time with any group and with four freshmen in there it's not going to happen overnight. But we're making progress."

The rest of the Vikings' boats also had solid showings. The women's second varsity eight finished second with a time of 7:13 and the third varsity four won its dual meet in a time of 8:22. The novice eight clocked a 7:11.9 while the second novice eight finished in 7:03.

The WWU men's varsity eight came in second in 6:29.41 and the varsity four also was second at 6:56.84. The Vikings' men's novice four won its race, finishing in 7:12.32.

Fighting off a quality opponent through some less than perfect weather and a little bit of chop was a good experience for the Vikings, Fuchs said.

"It was about what I expected," Fuchs said. "UPS is a very good program. That close race with the varsity eight, that's what racing is all about. You don't just beat everybody by a wide margin like we have in the past. I think these girls are learning that."