April 26, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame rowing team won five races Friday on its way to claiming the overnight lead on the first day of the Dale England Cup on Lake Lemon. The No. 12 Irish scored a total of 40 points to pace the field after day one, followed by Iowa (38 points), Indiana (22 points) and Alabama (20 points).
Notre Dame picked up its first race victory in the second varsity four. The Irish `A’ entry of coxswain Mikaela Prego, Kendra Rask, Madelynn Conlin, Haley Johnson and Elizabeth Kelley posted a time of 7:44.20 to win by more than 20 seconds. The second Notre Dame launch in the event, coxswain Tina Techar, Elizabeth Linnemanstons, Anne Bliezner, Madeline Loper and Analisa LaMair-Orosco claimed runner-up honors in 8:05.60.
The Irish added another successful run in the first novice eight, as Alex Techar, Katie Skorcz, Madelyn Tournat, Sarah Russel, Alexis Olson, Katherine Lumetta, Emily Horton, Sarah Kappers and Mairead Dunne completed the course in 7:13.30. Alabama was a distant second with a time of 7:29.60.
Notre Dame took its third straight win in the opening heat of the first varsity four. Coxswain Maggie McKee, Kelsey Murphy, Ellen Gleadow, Stella Willoughby and Kiersten DeHaven outpaced Alabama with a time of 7:46.90. The Crimson Tide launch checked in at 8:21.10.
It was more of the same during the second varsity eight, as the Notre Dame crew logged the first sub-seven minute time of the event for the team’s fourth consecutive triumph overall. Christina Dines, Paige Aiello, Teresa Blumenstein, Ingrid Woelfel, Carlee Beckler, Rose Doerfler, Kelsey Haddad, Kelsey Sekanick and Teresa Rubinger crossed the line in 6:56.50 to down Alabama (7:24.10).
The Irish first varsity eight capped the opening wave of the competition with a head-to-head dual victory over Alabama. Coxswain Abby Meyers, Joanna Poinsatte, Stephanie O’Neill, Joanna Mulvey, Courtney Gaberino, Erin Boxberger, Ailish Sheehan, Anna Kottkamp and Molly Bruggeman posted a Notre Dame-best time of 6:45.50 to defeat the Crimson Tide (7:17.12).
The second day of the Dale England Cup is scheduled to begin at 8:40 a.m. Saturday on Lake Lemon.
–ND–