• RESULTS     |     • VIDEO: GILLIAN  EDGAR

SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific held an early lead Saturday, but eventually finished one boat length behind No. 1-ranked Western Washington in the women's collegiate varsity eight race at the Husky Open on the Montlake Cut.
 
Along with that second-place result, SPU rowed to a third-place finish in the second varsity eight race and its open four crew was the runner-up in a varsity race.
 
"It was a good day. We had three boats that were competitive across the field," said second-year SPU coach Andrew Derrick.
 
"Depth is something that we are really working on and as the program kind of re-emerges on the national scene the varsity eight seems to be leading the way. Just over four seconds behind the number one team in the country, we'll take that all day long."


 
The Falcons top eight-oared crew got off to a solid start and rowed even with WWU for the opening 350 meters before surging to a slight lead. They held that margin, with coxswain Jaqueline Kemp even with the Vikings stroke seat, as the course narrowed at the entrance to The Cut for the final 600 meters.
 
Western made a strong move and sprinted in front of SPU, gaining a five-seat lead under the Montlake Bridge with 300 meters remaining. That margin grew to a full boat length as the victors crossed the finish line in 7-minutes, 8.93-seconds.
 
The Falcons clocked a time of 7:13.07 over the 2,000-meter course and Washington, which competed its fourth varsity crew, was third in 7:20.84.
 
That flight of the varsity eight proved to be the swiftest as NCAA Division II competitors WWU and SPU out-raced all of their Division I opponents. Portland's winning time in the second flight was 7:13.33 followed by Division III Puget Sound in 7:15.83 and Seattle University in 7:33.42.
 
SPU, in pursuit of its first NCAA Rowing Championships appearance since 2011, was ranked No. 7 in this week's Division II coaches poll topped by Western. The Vikings are the defending national team champion and placed second in the varsity eight competition at the 2017 NCAA regatta.
 
The Falcons varsity eight features Chloe Remley in the stroke seat along with Kaitlin Dickinson, Gillian Edgar, Suzanne Stafford, Megan Chalfant, Samantha Kimmel, Natalie Beall and Amanda Larsen.
 
 "We jumped out ahead," Derrick described of the early portion of the race. "Those nine young ladies are pretty motivated to prove that we really are back. They did a great job of getting after it and we just have to make sure that we can finish strong."

 

In the varsity four competition, SPU placed second in its flight with a time of 8:26.53. That was well off the winning time of 8:04.02 turned in by one Portland crew and far ahead of the 9:25.58 of the Pilots second entry.
 
The Falcons four-oared entry was an open crew and not the varsity unit that will vie for a spot at the NCAA Championships. Former SPU soccer standout Simon Herzberg coxed the crew comprised of rowers Hannah Todd, Kali Barlow, Laura Su and Talia Ferguson.
 
The projected varsity four rowers competed Saturday in the stern four of Seattle Pacific's second varsity eight boat.
 
SPU's second eight completed the course in 7:44.46, finishing behind both Portland (7:23.90) and Western Washington (7:30.48).
 
The Falcons second varsity, directed by coxswain Cecilia Krause, includes Hannah Hutchinson, Gracie Hoidal, Brooklyn Liberato, Lakyn Coppedge, Alex Archambault, Haley Thompson, Madison Simmons and Jenafer Johanson.

 

Derrick was pleased with the performance of his second eight and four-oared boats.
 
"For the second varsity eight to lose by 14 seconds, that's a lot of progress. We're showing that there's competition for seats and top-to-bottom we are a competitive team.
 
"The open four did a great job. Portland is a good Division I team and for them to go 1-1 with them, beat a boat and lose to a boat, we're happy with that."
 
The SPU rowers will see Western Washington again next week as they return to action on Saturday, April 7 for the annual Covered Bridge Regatta. Several schools from throughout the West Region will race on Dexter Lake in Lowell, Oregon.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S ROWING
Husky Open
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Montlake Cut / Seattle, Wash.
(2,000 meters, only events with SPU entry listed)
 
Results
Varsity Eight – Flight 1
1, Western Washington, 7:08.93
2, Seattle Pacific, 7:13.07
3, Washington (4V), 7:20.84
 
Varsity Eight – Flight 2
1, Portland, 7:13.33
2, Puget Sound, 7:15.83
3, Seattle University, 7:33.42
 
Second Varsity Eight – Flight 1
1, Portland, 7:23.90
2, Western Washington, 7:30.48
3, Seattle Pacific, 7:44.46
 
Second Varsity Eight – Flight 2
1, Puget Sound, 7:25.24
2, Seattle University, 7:46.69
3, Washington State, 7:55.51
 
Varsity Four – Flight 1
1, Portland "A", 8:12.91
2, Washington State, 8:21.22
3, Seattle University, 8:33.00
 
Varsity Four – Flight 2
1, Portland "B", 8:04.02
2, Seattle Pacific (open 4), 8:26.53
3, Portland "C", 9:25.58
 
Seattle Pacific Boatings
Varsity eight:  cox–Jacqueline Kemp, stroke-Chloe Remley, 7-Kaitlin Dickinso, 6-Gillian Edgar, 5-Suzanne Stafford, 4-Megan Chalfant, 3-Samantha Kimmel, 2-Natalie Beall, bow-Amanda Larsen.
 
Varsity eight:  cox–Cecilia Krause, stroke-Hannah Hutchinson, 7-Gracie Hoidal, 6-Booklyn Liberato, 5-Lakyn Coppedge, 4-Alex Archambault, 3-Haley Thompson, 2-Madison Simmons, bow-Jenafer Johanson.
 
Open four:  cox–Simone Herzberg, stroke-Hannah Todd, 3-Kali Barow, 2-Laura Su, bow-Talia Ferguson.
 
 
NEXT SPU REGATTA
Seattle Pacific at Covered Bridge Regatta
April 7, 2018
Dexter Lake / Lowell, Oregon