Senior Carlee Beckler and the Notre Dame first varsity eight earned the first Irish race victory of the season (5:56.767) during the afternoon session on Saturday at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational

#12 Irish Tested Early On Day One At The Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational

March 14, 2015

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – In its first official regatta of the 2015 season, the University of Notre Dame rowing team faced immediate challenges on the water Saturday to open the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational. The No. 12 Irish logged one race victory and competitive times against a pair of fellow top 20 foes on Melton Lake in the team’s spring debut.

Notre Dame’s first varsity eight kicked off the season in a fast heat against fellow Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) foe Virginia, Kansas and Alabama. No. 2 Virginia (5:53.656) took the race victory, with the Irish entry of coxswain Alex Techar, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan claiming runner-up honors at 6:03.508. Kansas (6:21.022) and Alabama (6:21.828) rounded out the first varsity eight finishers.

Virginia claimed its second straight victory during the first varsity four event, posting a winning clip of 6:43.578. Notre Dame’s lineup of coxswain Mikaela Prego, Bailey Amenabar, Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Katherine Lumetta and Stella Willoughby (6:52.626) took second place. Kansas (7:05.004) and Alabama (7:13.434) capped the heat finishers.

The Cavaliers notched their third straight win in the third varsity eight, crossing the finish line in 6:10.166. Notre Dame’s lineup of coxswain Dana Capotosto, Christine McGough, Elena Brindley, Elizabeth Walter, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Bridget Adam, Lauren Matchett, Kate Trankina and Meredith Swartz placed second in 6:27.274.

Checking in behind the victorious Virginia (6:00.190) entry in the second varsity eight was the Irish contingent of coxswain Reilly Kearney, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rose Doerfler, Ellen Gleadow, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Emily Horton, Madeline Loper and Gretchen Bruggeman with a second place readout of 6:13.744. Alabama finished third in 6:24.074 and Kansas crossed in fourth place with a 6:28.362.

Virginia capped the morning sweep with a winning time of 6:37.550 in the second varsity four. Coxswain Jill Ryan, Madelynn Conlin, Mairead Dunne, Erin Dolan and Megan McKeon posted another Notre Dame runner-up placement with a time of 6:44.312.

In the opening race of the afternoon session, the Irish earned their first heat victory of the day in the first varsity eight against No. 18 Louisville, Central Florida and Kansas. Coxswain Reilly Kearney, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan cruised to victory in 5:56.767. UCF placed second (6:00.837), followed by Louisville (6:01.263) and Kansas (6:21.463).

Louisville gained a measure of revenge in the first varsity four, crossing the finish line in 6:43.585. Notre Dame’s lineup of coxswain Jill Ryan, Elizabeth Walter, Madelynn Conlin, Mairead Dunne and Moira Hamilton were hot on the heels of the Cardinals at 6:43.851.

Notre Dame finished outside of the top two for the first time on Saturday in the third varsity eight, as coxswain Erin Coscia, Emily White, Elena Brindley, Jeanne Farnan, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Bridget Adam, Lauren Matchett, Kate Trankina and Meredith Swartz claimed third in the event with a time of 6:29.808.

Louisville (6:07.836) again outlasted Notre Dame to the finish line in the second varsity eight, taking the race win by less than two seconds. The Irish crew of coxswain Alex Techar, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rose Doerfler, Ellen Gleadow, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Emily Horton, Madeline Loper and Gretchen Bruggeman (6:09.434) took second place.

Louisville won its fourth heat of the afternoon in the second varsity four, posting a top time of 6:48.540. Coxswain Mikaela Prego, Victoria Ryan, Christine McGough, Erin Dolan and Megan McKeon crossed just behind the Cardinals 6:52.012 to take second place.

The final race session at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational is scheduled to begin at 9:14 a.m. (ET) on Sunday at Melton Lake.

Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational – Saturday Results

Morning Heats

First Varsity Eight
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Alex Techar, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan – 6:03.558

First Varsity Four
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Mikaela Prego, Bailey Amenabar, Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Katherine Lumetta and Stella Willoughby – 6:52.626

Third Varsity Eight
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Dana Capotosto, Christine McGough, Elena Brindley, Elizabeth Walter, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Bridget Adam, Lauren Matchett, Kate Trankina and Meredith Swartz – 6:27.274

Second Varsity Eight
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Reilly Kearney, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rose Doerfler, Ellen Gleadow, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Emily Horton, Madeline Loper and Gretchen Bruggeman – 6:13.744

Second Varsity Four
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Jill Ryan, Madelynn Conlin, Mairead Dunne, Erin Dolan and Megan McKeon – 6:44.312

Afternoon Heats

First Varsity Eight
1. NOTRE DAME (C) Reilly Kearney, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan – 5:56.767

First Varsity Four
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Jill Ryan, Elizabeth Walter, Madelynn Conlin, Mairead Dunne and Moira Hamilton – 6:43.851

Third Varsity Eight
3. NOTRE DAME (C) Erin Coscia, Emily White, Elena Brindley, Jeanne Farnan, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Bridget Adam, Lauren Matchett, Kate Trankina and Meredith Swartz – 6:29.808

Second Varsity Eight
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Alex Techar, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rose Doerfler, Ellen Gleadow, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Emily Horton, Madeline Loper and Gretchen Bruggeman – 6:09.434

Second Varsity Four
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Mikaela Prego, Victoria Ryan, Christine McGough, Erin Dolan and Megan McKeon – 6:52.012

–ND–