Lady Pioneers fall twice to Boilermakers at Challenge Cup
Marietta off until April 12-13 when it travels to Knecht Cup

March 30, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — One day after sweeping the competition at the Marietta Invitational, the Lady Pioneers were back in action Sunday (March 30) afternoon, facing off against Purdue University in two races at the 53rd annual Challenge Cup. The Lady Pioneers capped off their weekend with solid races in the Novice 8+ and Varsity 8+ against the Division I rival.

The women’s Novice 8+, which sat from bow Miki Abitante (Columbia, Md./Atholton), Michelle Tarracciano (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union), Lauren Yanko (Akron/Archbishop Hoban), Emily Davis (Louisville, Ky./J. Graham Brown), Megan Stuhlfauth (Hainesport, N.J./Merion Mercy Academy), Abigail Bogdan (Vienna, W.Va.), Brooke Exley (Phoenixville, Pa.), stroke Yolien Peeters (Cranberry Twp, Pa./Seneca Valley) and coxswain Stockard Hyjek (Leetsdale, Pa./Quaker Valley), began the day with a second place finish. The Lady Pioneers came in a just under 16 seconds behind Purdue. Marietta finished in 5:53.09, while Purdue won the race in 5:37.12.

The final women’s race of the day was the Varsity 8. Marietta’s Varsity 8, which sat senior bow Meredith Hay (Berwick, Maine/Marshwood), senior Amee Epling (Parkersburg, W.Va.), senior Meg Foraker (New Lexington/Culver Academy), sophomore Caitlin Piotrowski (Dublin/Dublin Jerome), freshman Katherine Thomas (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel Area), junior Krista Tkacz (Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.), senior Amanda Chuderewicz (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler), junior stroke Anjouli Dapice (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Talasnik (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest), finished second with a time of 5:43.12. Purdue won the race, crossing the line in 5:20.62.

Marietta will return to action April 12-13, when it competes at the Knecht Cup in Camden, New Jersey.