Varsity Eight takes third place at Atlantic Collegiate League Sprints
Varsity Four places fifth in its event

Apr. 29, 2006
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The Marietta College women's rowing program returned from a two-week layoff to compete at the Atlantic Collegiate League Sprints Saturday (Apr. 29). The regatta was raced at Gifford Pinchot State Park.

The Pioneers finished third in the finals of the Varsity Eight and fourth in the Varsity Four at the event, which featured some of the top crews in the region, as well as No. 3 Ithaca (N.Y.).

The Varsity Eight, which included coxswain Shauna Payne (Huron), stroke Lindsay Letterle (Glenshaw, Pa.), Amanda Chuderewicz (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area), Laurel Lindamood (Marietta), Sotiria Anagnostou (Mishauvaka, Ind./Culver Academy), Meg Foraker (New Lexington/Culver Academy), Kim Becker (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J.), Meredith Hay (South Berwick, ME/Marshwood) and bow Anjouli Dapice (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic), needed to qualify for the final by racing in a morning heat.

Ithaca cruised to a win in the first heat, finishing the race in 6:40.2. Mary Washington (Va.) (7:05.6) and Bryn Mawr (Pa.) (7:08.0) also advanced out of that heat.

Washington (Mo.) captured the second heat, crossing the line in 6:49.0, while Marietta (6:57.0) and RIT (N.Y.) (7:02.6) finished second and third, respectively to advance.

In the final, Marietta got off to a fast start and held the lead after 20 strokes. Ithaca, however, reeled the Pioneers and took over the lead for the rest of the race. Marietta fell to fourth for a short time, but walked past Mary Washington at the 1,000m mark to move into medal position. The Pioneers were making a move on Washington, but ran out of water and placed third (6:49.03). Ithaca (6:29.7) took the title, while Washington (6:41.65) finished second. Mary Washington (6:53.59), RIT (7:00.52) and Bryn Mawr (7:44.60) rounded out the finishers.

"The Varsity Eight was very impressive," Head Coach Karen Glowacki said. "The ladies looked strong and relaxed. There are still things that they can improve on, but the heart is now there. Overall, I am pleased and looking forward to the next couple of weeks, as we begin dialing in for the ECACs."

The Varsity Four, which consisted of coxswain Saira Khan (Galloway Twp., N.J./Absegami), stroke Brittany Durand (Danielson, Conn./Pomfret), Krista Tkacz (Egg Harbor Twp./N.J.), Sarah Henry (Lancaster/Fairfield Union) and bow Caroline McNulty (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary), had a tougher time Saturday. The Pioneers struggled with their start and even forced a restart. Once the boat got going, however, Marietta fought hard and finished fifth. Johns Hopkins (Md.) won the race, while Washington, North Park (Ill.) and RIT rounded out second through fourth place. No times were available at the time of this release.

"The V4 looked much improved since the Knecht Cup," Glowacki said. "I am proud of the way the ladies responded to the rough start and got back into the race. We will continue to work and more progress will be made before our next race."

Marietta will have time to work on its technique and rest up, as it will not compete again until May 13, when the Pioneers travel to Worchester (Mass.) for the ECAC Championships.