• COMPLETE RESULTS (pdf)     |     • VIDEO: MEGAN  CHALFANT

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – The start of Coach Andrew Derrick's second season at Seattle Pacific was better in every way than his inaugural regatta.
 
Seattle Pacific's varsity eight and open four crews each got wins over Pacific Lutheran boats in their second race of the day Saturday in the season-opening PLU Invitational.
 
The venue was the same American Lake course as in 2017. But last year's weather was miserable, with constant, heavy rain. This year's conditions were dry and sunny, with a relatively calm five miles-per-hour headwind.
 
"It was a good day," Derrick exclaimed. "Some wins, some losses, but ultimately each boat came off the water feeling better about their second piece than their first. That's progress and that's what early March is about.
 
"For them to get a little positive feedback with a couple wins and to not be out of any race, to be competitive in pretty much every event across the day was a great thing."
 
The annual regatta featured five NCAA universities from the Northwest, including Division I Seattle University, Division II SPU and Western Washington and Division III Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.
 
The Falcons competed against both Division III schools, all of them on a 2,000-meter course.


 
SPU's top eight-oared crew lost by just over a boat-length to Puget Sound in its initial race of the 2018 campaign. The winning varsity eight time was 7-minutes, 10.6-seconds and the Falcons finished in 7:15.5.
 
They were back on the water 90 minutes later and gained a measure of redemption by out-rowing Pacific Lutheran. SPU clocked a time of 7:16.7 to win convincingly over the Lutes, who had a time of 7:22.5.
 
"We felt really confident off the start. Our previous start had not been up to our standards, so this one we felt like we really came back together and really caught our stride right away," described sophomore coxswain Jacqueline Kemp.
 
"We were pretty even for the first 400 meters and then we started taking seats on them, just one at a time. At 600 meters I was on their four seat, then they started walking back two seats. Then we pulled away from there and didn't let them take any more seats until we finished one length ahead of them."
 
Kemp is one of four returning members from last season's top boat. Also back are stroke Chloe Remley, No. 6 seat Kaitlin Dickinson and No. 4 seat Natalie Beall. Three of the rowers are freshmen.

 

In the varsity four competition, SPU placed second in its opening race with a time of 8:28.9. That was well off the winning time of 8:17.2 turned in by one Puget Sound crew and far ahead of the 8:48.1 of the second UPS entry.
 
The second time out of the chute produced an impressive 14-second victory over a pair of Puget Sound fours. The Falcons registered a time of 9:04.1. The second-place time was 9:18.4 and third was 9:37.0.
 
"Those girls are doing a great job. We've really had some of them come on strong in the last few weeks right before race season, which is great to see," Derrick said of his winning four. "We've got a lot of parity between numbers nine and 20 on the team, so we've got some stuff to figure out. But those are good problems to have."
 
The Falcons four-oared entry was an open four and not the unit that will vie for a spot at the NCAA Championships. Their projected varsity four rowers competed Saturday in the second varsity eight boat.
 
SPU's second eight covered the course in 7:41.8 on its first try, finishing behind UPS (7:23.2) and ahead of the PLU third varsity (7:47.4).
 
In the second session, the Falcons' time of 7:49.7 put them over a boat-length behind PLU (7:42.5).
 
The SPU second varsity was comprised of freshman coxswain Cecilia Krause along with five novice rowers. Returning sophomore Hannah Hutchison occupied the stroke seat.
 
Derrick's SPU debut last year was not without highlights, as the top crew was victorious in their maiden voyage. But that was the Falcons varsity eight rowing against second varsity eights from other schools. Saturday they rowed at their proper level.
 
The second-year coach forecasts some sunny skies in the Falcons future.
 
"365 days has made a big difference. We've still got places to go and things on our list to do, but I'm incredibly proud of what the team has done in the last year.
 
"Having the ideas is the easy part. Actually putting them to work, they deserve the credit for doing that. We're not done yet and we'll see what the season holds."
 
The SPU rowers return to action March 24-25 at the San Diego Crew Classic on Mission Bay. The Falcons will compete two boats, their top eight-oared and four-oared crews.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S ROWING
PLU Invitational
Saturday, March 10, 2018
American Lake / Lakewood, Wash.
(2,000 meters, only events with SPU entry listed)
 
Late Morning Results
Varsity Eight
1, Seattle Pacific 7:16.7
2, Pacific Lutheran 7:22.5
 
Second Varsity Eight
1, Pacific Lutheran 7:42.5
2, Seattle Pacific 7:49.7
 
Varsity Four
1, Seattle Pacific open four 9:04.1
2, Pacific Lutheran "A" 9:18.4
3, Pacific Lutheran "B" 9:37.0
 
 
Early Morning Results
Varsity Eight
1, Puget Sound 7:10.6
2, Seattle Pacific 7:15.5
 
Second Varsity Eight
1, Puget Sound 7:23.2
2, Seattle Pacific 7:41.8
3, Pacific Lutheran novice 7:47.4
 
Varsity Four
1, Puget Sound "A" 8:17.2
2, Seattle Pacific open four 8:28.9
3, Puget Sound "B" 8:48.1
 
 
      SPU varsity eight lineup:  cox–Jacqueline Kemp, stroke-Chloe Remley, 7-Gillian Edgar, 6-Kaitlin Dickinson, 5-Suzanne Stafford, 4-Natalie Beall, 3-Megan Chalfant, 2-Samantha Kimmel, bow-Gracie Hoidal.
 
      SPU varsity eight lineup:  cox–Cecilia Krause, stroke-Hannah Hutchinson, 7-Lakyn Coppedge, 6-Hannah Todd, 5-Haley Thompson, 4- Alex Archambault, 3-Kali Barlow, 2-Brooklyn Liberato, bow-Katy Graham.
 
      SPU varsity four lineup:  cox–Simone Herzberg, stroke-Madison Simmons, 3-Jenafer Johanson, 2-Laura Su, bow-Talia Ferguson.
 
 
NEXT SPU REGATTA
Seattle Pacific at San Diego Crew Classic
March 24-25, 2018
Mission Bay / San Diego, Calif.