SARASOTA, Fla. – The sixth-ranked Seattle Pacific women placed third in the two featured NCAA Division II races Saturday while two Falcons four-oared crews won their events at the FIRA Championships on Cooper Creek.
 
The regatta, conducted by the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association, included the finest Division II crews from the South Region along with numerous Division I competitors. Three of those teams were ranked in the current Pocock Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association national poll. Barry is ranked third, Embry-Riddle No. 5 and Florida Tech No. 8.
 
Varsity Eights
Barry, from Miami, Fla., displayed why it was the highest-ranked crew in the varsity eight field. The Buccaneers completed the 2,000-meter course in a speedy 6-minutes, 42.93-seconds, winning by four seats. Embry-Riddle crossed in 6:44.55, seven seats in front of SPU.
 
The Falcons posted a third-place time of 6:47.96 with open water ahead of Florida Tech, which was fourth in 6:56.87. Rollins finished fifth (7:09.48), Florida sixth (7:17.49) and Florida State seventh (7:19.98).
 
Senior LeeAnn Arrington steered SPU's top boat from her coxswain seat and Megan Popielak occupied the stroke spot.
 
 

Varsity Fours
Embry-Riddle was the class of the Division II varsity fours, winning by nearly 20 seconds. The Eagles, from Daytona Beach, Fla., clocked a time of 7:33.58.
 
Barry was second in 7:52.76 followed by the third-place Falcons, whose time was 7:58.29. SPU nipped Florida Tech by a bow ball, as the fourth-place time was 7:58.60. Rollins placed fifth in 8:08.72.
 
The Falcons top four-oared crew was comprised of coxswain Jessica Vester with Jennifer Hoag, Nicole Svoboda, Ingrid Erickson and Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza pulling oars. That boat raced again six hours later with the same configuration, in the event listed for second varsity fours.
 
The Falcons were victorious with a time of 7:59.98 with Embry-Riddle's bow ball on SPU's stern at the finish line. The Eagles' runner-up time was 8:03.09, Florida Tech crossed third in 8:06.49 followed by Florida (8:12.33) and Rollins (8:14.15).
 
Split Crew
Nearly six hours after completing the varsity eight race, the SPU crew divided to participate as two, four-oared crews. Each boat competed in a different race.
 
Vester, the varsity four coxswain, directed a crew in the varsity four "B" race. Rowing in that boat were Danielle Johnson, Natalie Korolenko, Jacinta Grandel and Kalais Samuelson.
 
That SPU four raced to a convincing victory, finishing 13 seconds in front with a time of 7:35.29. Embry-Riddle was second in 7:48.27, followed by Florida (8:27.92) and New College (9:36.49).
 
Arrington moved from an eight-oared shell into the coxswain position of a four that featured rowers Popielak, Macie Leach, Elise Arkills and Hannah Miller. They raced in the final event of the regatta, another varsity four competition.
 
Embry-Riddle was a nine-second victor with a time of 7:30.20. Central Florida was second (7:39.85) and Florida Tech third (7:43.02), seven seats ahead of SPU.
 
The Falcons registered a fourth-place time of 7:46.06, Barry was fifth (7:57.61), Florida sixth (8:01.48), Rollins seventh (8:10.30) and Florida State eighth (8:11.37).
 
 

Husky Open
A lone Seattle Pacific crew competed Saturday morning at the Husky Open in Seattle. The first-year Falcons took on two experienced crews in the Third Varsity/Novice Eight event on the Montlake Cut.
 
After a sluggish start, freshman coxswain Sara Mach steered SPU to a strong final 500 meters to close the gap on runner-up Seattle University.
 
Puget Sound entered its top crew, a varsity eight, into the competition and won handily with a time of 7:34.49. Seattle U's boat also contained veteran rowers and posted a second-place mark of 7:51.94. SPU crossed the finish line in 8:08.27.
 
Next Week
Seattle Pacific conducts its only home competition of the season, the Falcon Regatta. SPU entertains regional rivals Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State) and Western Washington for an eight-race card on Saturday, April 9 on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The starting line is near Gas Works Park in Lake Union and the finish line is behind Brougham Pavilion on the north side of the SPU campus.
 
The regatta features two flights of racing, the first beginning at 8:00 a.m. and the second at 10:30 a.m.
 
All three teams are nationally ranked with Western Washington at No. 4, Seattle Pacific No. 6 and Humboldt No. 7.
 
NCAA WOMEN'S ROWING
FIRA Regatta
Saturday, April 2, 2022
Cooper Creek/Sarasota, Fla.
(all races 2,000 meters)
 
Varsity Eights
1, Barry, 6:42.93; 2, Embry-Riddle, 6:44.55; 3, Seattle Pacific, 6:47.96; 4, Florida Tech, 6:56.87; 5, Rollins, 7:09.48; 6, Florida, 7:17.49; 7, Florida State, 7:19.98.
          SPU lineup: cox-LeeAnn Arrington, stroke-Megan Popielak, 7-Macie Leach, 6-Jacinta Grandel, 5-Natalie Korolenko, 4-Elise Arkills, 3-Kalais Samuelson, 2-Danielle Johnson, bow-Hannah Miller.
 
Varsity Fours
1, Embry-Riddle, 7:33.58; 2, Barry, 7:52.76; 3, Seattle Pacific, 7:58.29; 4, Florida Tech, 7:58.60; 5, Rollins, 8:08.72.
          SPU lineup: cox-Jessica Vester, stroke-Jennifer Hoag, 3-Nicole Svoboda, 2-Ingrid Erickson, bow-Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza.
 
Second Varsity Fours
1, Seattle Pacific 1V, 7:59.98; 2, Embry-Riddle, 8:03.09; 3, Florida Tech, 8:06.49; 4, Florida, 8:12.33; 5, Rollins, 8:14.15.
          SPU 1V lineup: cox-Jessica Vester, stroke-Jennifer Hoag, 3-Nicole Svoboda, 2-Ingrid Erickson, bow-Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza.
 
Varsity "B" Fours
1, Seattle Pacific 3V, 7:35.29; 2, Embry-Riddle, 7:48.27; 3, Florida, 8:27.92; 4, New College, 9:36.49.
          SPU 3V lineup: cox-Jessica Vester, stroke-Danielle Johnson, 3-Natalie Korolenko, 2-Jacinta Grandel, bow-Kalais Samuelson.
 
Varsity Fours II
1, Embry-Riddle, 7:30.20; 2, Central Florida, 7:39.85; 3, Florida Tech, 7:43.02; 4, Seattle Pacific 2V, 7:46.06; 5, Barry, 7:57.61; 6, Florida, 8:01.48; 7, Rollins, 8:10.30; 8, Florida State, 8:11.37.
          SPU 2V lineup: cox-LeeAnn Arrington, stroke-Megan Popielak, 3-Macie Leach, 2-Elise Arkills, bow-Hannah Miller.
 
 
Husky Open
Saturday, April 2, 2022
Montlake Cut/Seattle, Wash.
(2,000 meters)
 
Third & Novice Eights
1, Puget Sound 1V, 7:34.49; 2, Seattle University 3V, 7:51.94; 3, Seattle Pacific, 8:08.27.
          SPU lineup: cox-Sara Mach, stroke-Megan Rouse, 7-Emma Ely, 6-Mary Goodhew, 5-Addie Clark, 4-Olivia Pederson, 3-Jaida Jones, 2-Graysen Swanson, bow-Madison Raines.