Paige White helped the Irish to victory in the varsity four race.

Irish Varsity Four Victorious In Regatta Against Michigan State And Michigan

March 27, 2010

LAINGSBURG, Mich. – Returning to the waters for the first time in two weeks, the Notre Dame rowing team faced two of the nation’s top teams as the Irish traveled to Laingsburg, Mich., to face No. 7 Michigan State and No. 9 Michigan. Notre Dame’s varsity four crew provided the day’s lone victory, while the Spartans won three races and the Wolverines claimed two wins in the six races.

The Irish crew of coxswain Rachel Louie (Westfield, N.J.), Stephanie Boggs (Lumberton, N.J.), Kathryn Monahan (Evanston, Ill.), Paige White (Boise, Idaho) and Joanna Poinsatte (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was impressive in posting a time of 7:35.1 and outdistancing Michigan State (7:42.8) and Michigan (7:50.4).

The Spartans won varsity eight race in a time of 6:29.6, while Michigan took second in 6:33.7. Notre Dame’s varsity eight crew of coxswain Sarah Keithley (Austin, Texas), Morgan Kelley (Windermere, Fla.,), Casey Robinson (Alexandria, Va.), Katherine Linnemanstons (Mequon, Wis.), Brittney Kelly (Wexford, Pa.), Carol Ann Michel (Princeton, N.J.), Genevieve Malone (Dayton, Ohio), Stephanie O’Neill (Vienna, Va.) and Stephanie Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill.).

Michigan State also won the second varsity eight race with a time of 6:44.0, followed by Michigan (6:49.1). Notre Dame’s second varsity eight boat of coxswain Jacqueline Gilhooly (Palos Heights, Ill.), Megan Keegan (Marietta, Ohio), Braegan Padley (Boise, Idaho), Valerie Brencher (Lumberton, N.J.), Katie Suyo (Yardley, Pa.), Emily Backer (Cannelton, Ind.), Erin McConnell (Simsbury, Conn.), Emily Crosby (Middleton, N.J.) and Christina Buckley (Huntington, N.Y.) were just under six seconds behind Michigan as the Irish finished in 6:54.9.

Notre Dame’s second varsity four crew of coxswain Alicia Elliott (Ambler, Pa.), Brianna Krafcik (Aurora, Ohio), Meghan Salomon (Cincinnati, Ohio), Ching-Ting Hwang (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Andrea Archer (Redding, Conn.) finished second to Michigan State (7:44.6) as the Irish crossed the finish line in 8:02.5.

In a tightly contested novice eight, just 3.49 seconds separated the three boats. Michigan was victorious in the race with a time of 7:04.31, while Michigan State took second in 7:06.6. Notre Dame’s boat of coxswain Abby Meyers (Dayton, Ohio), Sarah Thompson (Los Angeles, Calif.), Meghan Vertovec (LaGrange Park, Ill.), Maura Newell (Seattle, Wash.), Kelsey Haddad (Berwyn, Pa.), Paige Aiello (Rochester Hills, Mich.), Analisa LaMair-Orosco (Silver City, N.M.), Alyce Kanabrocki (Chicago, Ill.) and Kelsey Murphy (Winthrop, Maine) finished third in 7:07.8.

Notre Dame also took third in the second novice eight race as the crew of coxswain Lauren Peartree (Rochester, N.Y.), Sylvianne Velasquez (San Antonio, Texas), Teresa Blumenstein (Westmont, N.J.), Sarah McShane (South Bend, Ind.), Camille Sharrow (China, Mich.), Kimberly Dunbar (Clarence, N.Y.), Jennifer Lee (Holmdel, N.J.), Caitlin Connelly (St. Paul, Minn.) and Catherine Herrmann (Eagan, Minn.) posted a time of 7:35.3. Michigan won the race in 7:22.2, followed by Michigan State in 7:26.6.

Notre Dame returns to action tomorrow, Sun., March 28, as the Irish square off against Indiana, Purdue, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo at Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, Ind.

“Overall I think there are some things that we need to work on with our speed, head coach Martin Stone said. “I’m happy with our varsity four boats performance with it being such a young boat having two sophomores and a freshman to go along with only one junior and senior. I also thought the novice boats competed well. The first novice boat was in the lead going into the final 500 before having an issue with the oar holder, and the first novice eight kept itself in the race through the whole thing.

“As a team we need to come together and regroup, and try and bounce back tomorrow against Indiana, Eastern Michigan, Purdue and Buffalo.”