March 16, 2014
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Another strong showing at the top of the boating lineup worked to the advantage of the University of Notre Dame rowing team during the final day of racing at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational Sunday on Melton Lake. The Irish brought home three event victories, along with a pair of runner-up finishes, to close their Spring Break training trip in Oak Ridge.
The day got started with the Notre Dame varsity eight taking the team’s first of three straight races against Duke. The Irish lineup of coxswain Christina Dines, Teresa Rubinger, Joanna Mulvey, Courtney Gaberino, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp, Ailish Sheehan, Erin Boxberger and Molly Bruggeman posted a convincing near 10 second win (6:40.500) over the Blue Devils (6:50.125) on Sunday morning. Notre Dame’s top eight closed the weekend with two wins in its three race starts, with the only setback being a tight defeat at the hands of national contender Virginia on Saturday.
Winning ways followed the second Irish eight into the water, as coxswain Alex Techar, Ellen Gleadow, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Alexis Olson, Hilary Shinnick, Rose Doerfler, Kelsey Sekanick and Kiersten DeHaven routed their counterparts from Duke. Notre Dame took the race victory in 6:48.700 over the second place Blue Devils (7:02.954) in the heat.
The third and final first place showing came from Notre Dame’s first varsity four. Coxswain Mikaela Prego, Katie Skorcz, Stella Willoughby, Bailey Amenabar and Emily Horton completed the trek in 7:31.70, clearing the Duke crew by nearly 30 seconds (7:57.50).
Facing stiff competition in third varsity eight racing, in a heat that also included Virginia and Michigan State, the Irish crew of coxswain Erin Coscia, Elena Brindley, Bridget Adam, Lucy Hewitt, Catherine Wagner, Kate Trankina, Gretchen Bruggeman, Madeline Loper and Moira Hamilton posted a runner-up time of 7:15.461. Virginia was the fastest team in the heat (7:06.700), with Michigan State (7:24.977) and Duke (7:34.278) rounding out the field.
A pair of Notre Dame entries stayed on pace, but were unable to prevent Duke from claiming its only race of the day in the second varsity four with a winning time of 7:39.100. Coxswain Samantha Hedrick, Megan McKeon, Hayley Johnson, Christine McGough and Anne Marie Blieszner comprised the second place Irish contingent (7:42.940), followed by coxswain Jill Ryan, Sarah Russel, Madelynn Conlin, Kendra Rask and Elizabeth Linnemanstons in third place (7:53.230).
–ND–