April 3, 2004

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Following a rough start in its season opener, the nationally No.1-ranked Western Washington University women's varsity eight came back strong with two wins at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Invitational Regatta held Saturday at Vancouver Lake.

The Vikings, ranked No.1 in this week's first regular-season Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing NCAA Division II Poll, won a three-boat NCAA II race, easily outdistancing runner-up Humboldt State, tied for No.2 nationally. They then placed first in a five-boat open race that included Humboldt State and Puget Sound, which was second nationally last year in NCAA Division III and is currently ranked No.6 nationally.

Last week, Western opened the 2004 season by placing fourth in a race won by Puget Sound at the Daffodil Cup Regatta. But Saturday, there was no one in front of the Vikings.

Western had a winning time of 7:05.6 over the 2,000-meter course in the NCAA II run, finishing nearly 10 seconds ahead of Humboldt State (7:14.4). UC San Diego was third in 7:16.4.

Later in the day, Western went even faster with a first-place clocking of 6:55.7. Puget Sound was second (6:58.7), followed by Lewis & Clark (7:05.3), UC San Diego 7:10.9 and Humboldt State (7:25.0), which was late to the starting line.

"We started off the day on a good note, and we ended it on a good note," said Western program coordinator and head women's coach John Fuchs. "I feel like we're right where we're supposed to be. Last week was more of a testing ground because two of our kids had never raced before."

Seated in Western's shell were coxswain Emily Davis (Sr., Carnation/Mount Si), stroke Julia Gamache (So., Seattle/Blanchet), No.7 Brittany Kruger (Sr., Longview/Mark Morris), No.6 Kailyn McGrath (Jr., Fillmore, CA/Villanova Prep), No.5 Gail Lumsden (Jr., Everett/Mariner), No.4 Lindsay Mann-King (Fr., Colville/Seattle U.), No.3 Stephanie Parker (Fr., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck/Seattle Pacific), No.2 Liz Fayram (Fr., Bellingham), and bow Laurel Kaminski (Sr., Bellevue/Newport).

"The race in the afternoon was a total breakthrough mentally," Fuchs said. "They were tired because they had raced earlier in the day, but they got out ahead and stayed there."

"This is a good crew, and they're still pretty rough. So, the potential for this boat to go fast is starting to show."

The Vikings' women's varsity four placed second (8:09.9) to Humboldt State (8:08.5) in its NCAA II race, with UC San Diego third (8:17.4); and the women's second varsity eight was third (7:31.0) in a five-boat race behind Puget Sound (7:08.3) and Orange Coast (7:25.6).

The Western women's novice eight finished fourth (7:42.5) in its final after placing second (7:41.3) in a heat earlier in the day. The men's novice 4 won its heat (7:21.9) and then placed fourth (7:25.3) in its final, and the men's junior varsity four finished fifth (7:26.0) in its race.

The Western men's varsity four competed in the Husky Invitational at Seattle's Montlake Cut), placing second with a time of 6:52.0. Host Washington won in 6:36.6, with Washington State third in 7:30.0.

Seated in that shell were coxswain Kelly McComb (Sr., Bainbridge Island), stroke Joshua Griesse (Jr., Pleasant Hill, OR), No.3 Case Sweerus (So., Gig Harbor), No.2 Jonathan Fox (Jr., Shoreline/Shorewood), and bow Phil DuBois (Jr., Olympia/Capital).

"I was hoping we would be a little closer, but we took the race knowing that it would be against some very tough competition," said Western men's coach Marty Sauvage.

"We went sub-seven, which we know is a good starting point for us. We needed to find out how fast we are at this point, so we know how much faster we need to get."

Western meets Gonzaga University in a dual match next Saturday on Silver Lake near Medical Lake.

NORTHWEST COLLEGIATE ROWING CONFERENCE INVITATIONAL REGATTA

Vancouver, Wash. (Vancouver Lake)

RESULTS:

Women

Varsity 8 (NCAA II) - 1. Western 7:05.6, 2. Humboldt State 7:14.4, 3. UC San Diego 7:16.4

Varsity 4 (NCAA II) - 1. Humboldt State 8:08.5, 2. Western 8:09.9, 3. UC San Diego 8:17.4.

Novice 8 (Heat 2) - 1. Evergreen 7:30.6, 2. Western 7:41.3, 3. Pacific Lutheran 7:42.1, 4. Willamette 7:53.0, 5. Puget Sound 7:55.2, 6. Portland 7:56.1.

Novice 8 (Final) - 1. Orange Coast 7:19.3, 2. Evergreen 7:22.8, 3. Pacific Lutheran 7:36.0, 4. Western 7:42.5, 5. Oregon 7:47.3, 6. Lewis & Clark 7:52.9.

Second Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:08.3, 2. Orange Coast 7:25.6, 3. Western 7:31.0, 4. Humboldt State 7:50.0, 5. Willamette 7:51.3.

Varsity 8 (Open) - 1. Western 6:55.7, 2. Puget Sound 6:58.7, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:05.3, 4. UC San Diego 7:10.9, 5. Humboldt State 7:25.0.

Men

Novice 4 (Heat 2) - 1. Western 7:21.9, 2. Willamette 7:36.2, 3. Portland State 8:03.3, 4. Puget Sound 8:12.3.

Novice 4 (Final) - 1. Seattle Pacific 7:10.9, 2. Lewis & Clark 7:19.3, 3. Willamette 7:24.1, 4. Western 7:25.3, 5. Puget Sound 7:49.5, 6. Portland State 8:06.0.

Junior Varsity 4 - 1. Puget Sound-A 7:03.4, 2. Seattle Pacific 7:05.5, 3. Puget Sound-B 7:10.5, 4. Lewis & Clark 7:25.7, 5. Western 7:26.0, 6. Portland 7:29.6, 7. Oregon 7:45.7

HUSKY INVITATIONAL

Seattle, Wash. (Montlake Cut)

RESULTS

Men

Varsity 4 - 1. Washington 6:36.6, 2. Western 6:52.0, 3. Washington State 7:30.0.

LINEUPS:

WOMEN

Varsity 8 - cox Emily Davis (Sr., Carnation/Mount Si), stroke Julia Gamache (So., Seattle/Blanchet), No.7 Brittany Kruger (Sr., Longview/Mark Morris), No.6 Kailyn McGrath (Jr., Fillmore, CA/Villanova Prep), No.5 Gail Lumsden (Jr., Everett/Mariner), No.4 Lindsay Mann-King (Fr., Colville/Seattle U.), No.3 Stephanie Parker (Fr., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck/Seattle Pacific), No.2 Liz Fayram (Fr., Bellingham), bow Laurel Kaminski (Sr., Bellevue/Newport).

Junior Varsity 8 - cox Krissy Whaley (Jr., Woodinville), stroke Sarah Rule (Jr., Mercer Island/UConn), No.7 Katie Fadden (So., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.6 Patricia Cittadini (Sr., Bellevue/Newport), No.5 Katrina Anderson (So., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage), No.4 Jenn McGrath (So., Enumclaw), No.3 Lindsay Jennings (Sr., Seattle/Garfield), No.2 Courtney Moeller (Jr., Renton/Liberty), bow Quinn Sanford (Sr., Olympia/Capital/Cottey JC).

Novice 8 - cox Alexandra Hailey (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), stroke Jessica Narkevitz (So., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.7 Morgan Shapiro (Fr., University Place/Bellarmine Prep), No.6 Dana Skoog (Fr., Seattle/Holy Names), No.5 Andrea Hoyt (Fr., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly), No.4 Jessica Logan (So., Olympia/Capital/South Puget Sound CC), No.3 Nicole Samuelson (Fr., Shoreline/Shorecrest), No.2 Bethany Carlsen (Fr., Issaquah), bow Holly Page (Fr., Tacoma/Washington).

Varsity 4 - cox Krissy Whaley (Jr., Woodinville), stroke Sarah Rule (Jr., Mercer Island/UConn), No.3 Katie Fadden (So., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.2 Patricia Cittadini (Sr., Bellevue/Newport), bow Sarah Forney (So., Monroe).

MEN

Varsity 4 - coxswain Kelly McComb (Sr., Bainbridge Island), stroke Joshua Griesse (Jr., Pleasant Hill, OR), No.3 Case Sweerus (So., Gig Harbor), No.2 Jonathan Fox (Jr., Shoreline/Shorewood), bow Phil DuBois (Jr., Olympia/Capital).

Novice 4 - cox Brittany Poirson (Fr., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Nick Haldeman (Fr., Brush Prairie/Prairie), No.3 Aaron Novy (Fr., Richland), No.2 Will Bufford (Jr., Port Angeles/Peninsula CC), bow Gavin Owens (Fr. Vancouver/Columbia River).

Junior Varsity 4 - cox Austin Jenkins (Jr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Andy Foltz (So., Sumner), No.3 Ryan Hansgen (Fr., Maple Valley/Tahoma), No.2 Nathan Pedersen (So., Peaks Island, ME/Portland/Gateway CC), bow Aaron Novy (Fr., Richland)