LOWELL, Ore. – Seattle Pacific's men's and women's four-oared novice crews each rowed to a fourth-place finish in the grand finals of their respective races Saturday on Dexter Lake in the Covered Bridge Regatta.
 
The Falcons' first-year men's boat raced to a heat victory in the morning, clocking a time of 7-minutes, 29.10-seconds. That crew, directed by coxswain Samuel Taylor, outpaced Sonoma State (7:36.35) and Seattle University (7:58.93), two boats that would also advance to the grand final. Arizona State finished fourth (8:13.92) and Western Washington fifth (8:29.31).
 
Seattle U. nudged ahead of SPU in a tightly contest afternoon final that saw second through fourth place decided by less than 1.5 seconds. Oregon State easily won the men's novice four final in 7:51.84. Western won the battle for the runner-up position in 8:00.43, a deck ahead of third-place SU (8:00.53) and two seats in front of the Falcons, whose time was 8:01.81.
 
Sonoma finished fifth (8:19.74) and the Redhawks second crew was sixth (8:44.74).
 
The SPU women's novice four earned a grand final berth with a second-place showing in the heats. They completed the 2,000-meter course in 8-minutes, 48.62-seconds to finished well behind winner Western Washington (8:27.66), but open water ahead of Santa Clara (9:02.93).
 
Form held in the afternoon grand final won by WWU in 8:59.99. Second and third place were claimed by the top-two finishers from the morning's other heat, with Oregon (9:08.90) beating Portland (9:26.99) to the line.
 
SPU's novice entry turned in a fourth-place time of 9:45.59 and Santa Clara was fifth in 9:58.51.
 
A third Falcons crew was also in action Saturday and competed in the women's second varsity event. With just a seven-boat field there was no need for heats to determine finalists. Instead, the same crews raced twice, and the finish order was identical with SPU fifth to cross the finish line both times.
 
Portland won the morning race in 8:19.70, followed by Oregon (8:22.15), Humboldt State (8:47.76), Portland's second entry (8:49.93), SPU (9:02.03), Arizona State (9:35.52) and Reed (10:34.16).
 
Conditions and fatigue dictated slower times in the afternoon session that otherwise yielded the same results.
 
The Pilots top crew again won, this time in 9:10.61. Oregon was also the afternoon runner-up (9:16.95) followed by Humboldt State (9:43.95), UP's second boat (9:44.96), SPU (10:04.57), Arizona State (10:39.52) and Reed (11:49.58).
 
The Falcons crew was directed by Jasmine Pitzler, enabling novice four coxswain Kaley Turner to grab the bow oar for the second varsity race.
 
SPU's men's varsity four crew did not compete on Saturday.
 
The Falcons crews take next weekend off from competition. The SPU women will row at Western Washington on April 23 and then will be joined by the men's crews at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships, April 30-May 1 on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.
 
 
NCAA Rowing
Covered Bridge Regatta
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Dexter Lake / Lowell, Ore.
(all races 2,000 meters)
 
MEN'S RESULTS
 
Novice Four
Heat I – 1, Seattle Pacific, 7:29.10; 2, Sonoma "A" 7:36.35; 3, Seattle University "A", 7:58.93; 4, Arizona State, 8:13.92; 5, Western Washington "B" 8:29.31.
 
Heat II – Oregon State, 7:14.50; 2, Western Washington "A", 7:22.13; 3, Seattle University "B" 7:34.68; 4, Sonoma "B", 8:07.2; 5, Portland State, 8:42.21; 6, Reed, 9:52.33.
 
Grand Final – 1, Oregon State, 7:51.84; 2, Western Washington "A", 8:00.43; 3, Seattle University "A", 8:00.53; 4, Seattle Pacific, 8:01.81; 5, Sonoma "A", 8:19.74; 6 Seattle University "B", 8:44.74.
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Samuel Taylor, stroke–Cody Riggs, 3–Arthur Emmons, 2–Zach Johnston, bow–Jake Shelton.
 
 
WOMEN'S RESULTS
 
Novice Four
Heat I – 1, Oregon, 8:21.00; 2, Portland, 8:35.58; 3, Sonoma, 9:32.07; 5, Portland State, 9:37.27.
 
Heat II - 1, Western Washington, 8:27.66; 2, Seattle Pacific, 8:48.62; 3, Santa Clara, 9:02.93.
 
Grand Final – 1, Western Washington, 8:59.99; 2, Oregon, 9:08.90; 3, Portland, 9:26.99; 4, Seattle Pacific, 9:45.59; 5, Santa Clara, 9:58.51.
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Kaley Turner, stroke-Moriah Sisk, 3–Abby Kopack, 2–Natalie Beall, bow–Emma Johnson.
 
 
Second Varsity Four
Morning Race -- 1, Portland, 8:19.70; 2, Oregon, 8:22.15; 3, Humboldt State, 8:47.76; 4, Portland "B", 8:49.03; 5, Seattle Pacific, 9:02.03; 6, Arizona State, 9:35.52; 7, Reed, 10:34.16.
 
Afternoon Race – 1, Portland, 9:10.61, 2, Oregon, 9:16.95; 3, Humboldt State, 9:43.95; 4, Portland "B", 9:44.96; 5, Seattle Pacific, 10:04.57; 6, Arizona State, 10:39.52; 7, Reed, 11:49.58.
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Jane Tarabochia, 3-Mary Shaffer, 2-Liz Heller, bow-Kaley Turner.