Oct. 8, 2000
Rockford, Ill. – Notre Dame’s lightweight four boat of Diana Laquinta, Kerri Murphy, Laura Aull, Leah Ashe and Erin Kiernicki took first place today at the Head of the Rock regatta on the Rock River in Rockford, Ill. The Irish boat finished in a time of 17:39.09, well ahead of second-place finisher Wisconsin (17:51.18). Notre Dame’s second lightweight four vessel of Caitlin Murray, Allyson Spacht, Ann Gurucharri, Andrea Amoni and coxswain Pamela Swan placed fourth in 18:38.14.
The varsity eight boat of Ann Marie Dillhoff, Melissa Alberding, Julia Kelly, Casey Buckstaff, Becky Luckett, Ashlee Warren, Katherine Burnett, Jayme Szfec and Claire Bula placed third in 15:51.35. Wisconsin was first in 15:15.87, while Iowa placed second (15:21.32). Notre Dame’s second open eight boat of Anne Starks, Kristi Schmidt, Maureen Carr, Elizabeth Kinnier, Diane Price, Katherine McCauldren, Erica Drennen, Kolleen Myers and Swan placed 10th in 16:23.52.
Notre Dame was second in the lightweight eight race as the team of Sara Andrews, Erin Shea, Rebecca Campbell, Jessica Manske, Laquinta, Murphy, Aull, Ashe and Kiernicki finished in a time of 16:10. The Irish only trailed Wisconsin, who won in a time of 15:56.
After taking first at the Chicago Chase yesterday, the pairs team of Luckett and Warren were third today. The Irish duo of Szfec and Burnett placed seventh, while Dillhoff and Price were eighth.
“I am pleased with our performance today. We rowed well and we are closing the gap. Last year, we were almost a minute behind the winning boat, and this year, we significantly closed that gap,” head coach Martin Stone said.
Notre Dame rows again Saturday, Oct. 14, against Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. Race time is 10:30 a.m. EDT.