April 24, 2004

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. - Despite being the NCAA Division II national runner-up in women's rowing the last two years, Western Washington University has not been able to win the women's varsity eight race at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships.

That run continued Saturday at the third annual NCRC meet on Lake Stevens as the Vikings, ranked No.1 nationally all season long in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing NCAA II Poll, placed second to Puget Sound. Western finished fourth at the conference meet in 2002 and 2003.

The Loggers, who were the NCAA III national runner-up in 2003, completed the 2,000-meter course in 7:13.1. Western was second in 7:26.6 and NCAA II Humboldt State finished third in 7:26.6. Pacific Lutheran, which had won the race the last two years, placed fifth among the six entries in 7:28.6.

"We just can't seem to win here," said Western program coordinator and head women's coach John Fuchs.

"You don't want to make excuses, but we had one person sick all day Friday and another nursing a bad leg, so they just weren't quite focused. They thought that they rowed pretty well, but they just didn't race very well, and when you have six crews out there, you have to race well in order to win."

Puget Sound dominated the meet, also posting victories in the men's varsity eight, men's varsity four, and women's junior varsity eight events.

Western, which had won the men's varsity eight race the last two years, was fourth in 6:51.3. Puget Sound had a winning time of 6:36.9, followed by Oregon in 6:43.5 and Lewis & Clark OR in 6:46.1 in the eight-boat race.

"This is our conference championship, and I always want to do a lot better here than what we did today," said Western men's coach Marty Sauvage. "I think our relative small numbers were a disadvantage today. We just weren't as sharp as we needed to be."

The Vikings won the men's second novice four race in 7:19.4 over Puget Sound (7:26.5). Seated in that winning shell were coxswain Brittany Poirson (Fr., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Aaron Novy (Fr., Richland), No.3 Will Bufford (Jr., Port Angeles/Peninsula CC), No.2 Ryan Hansgen (Fr., Maple Valley/Tahoma), and bow Nathan Pedersen (So., Peaks Island, ME/Portland/Gateway CC).

Besides the women's varsity eight, Western also was second in the men's varsity four, women's junior varsity eight, and women's second novice four races.

"The women's junior varsity eight had a great race," Fuchs said, "They made up a huge amount of time on UPS since the last time we raced. The same was true of the third varsity, which was fourth in that race."

Western was third in the men's pair (8:07.4) and women's junior varsity four (8:18.5) runs, fourth in the women's novice four (8:27.0) and men's junior varsity four (7:33.3), and fifth in the women's varsity four (8:11.8) and women's novice eight (7:51.3).

Western competes in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships next Saturday on Lake Natoma near Rancho Cordova, Calif.

NORTHWEST COLLEGIATE ROWING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lake Stevens, Wash. (Lake Stevens)

RESULTS:

WOMEN

Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:13.1, 2. Western Washington 7:20.8, 3. Humboldt State 7:26.6, 4. Lewis & Clark 7:26.8, 5. Pacific Lutheran 7:28.6, 6. Willamette 7:37.6

Junior Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:39.1, 2. Western Washington 7:47.1, 3. Willamette 7:59.5, 4. Western Washington (3rd varsity eight) 8:04.4, 5. Lewis & Clark 8:10.1, 6. Humboldt State 8:12.9, 7. Pacific Lutheran 8:13.7

Varsity 4 - 1. Seattle Pacific-A 7:49.5, 2. Willamette 8:01.2, 3. Puget Sound 8:07.8, 4. Humboldt State 8:11.4, 5. Western Washington 8:11.8, 6. Lewis & Clark 8:17.5, 7. Pacific Lutheran 8:18.9, 8. Seattle Pacific-B 8:22.9

Novice 8 - 1. Humboldt State 7:28.8, 2. Evergreen 7:31.2, 3. Willamette 7:43.1, 4. Pacific Lutheran 7:49.9, 5. Western Washington 7:51.3, 6. Portland 7:55.5, 7. Puget Sound 8:04.2

2nd Novice 4 - 1. Portland 8:29.3, 2. Western Washington 8:43.5, 3. Puget Sound 8:45.9, 4. Lewis & Clark 8:46.8, 5. Humboldt State 0:03.8

Junior Varsity 4 - 1. Puget Sound 8:12.7, 2. Humboldt State 8:13.6, 3. Western Washington 8:18.5, 4. Seattle Pacific 8:20.5., 5. Pacific Lutheran 8:21.1, 6. Willamette 8:47.6, 7. Lewis & Clark 8:50.2

Novice 4 - 1. Lewis & Clark 8:11.5, 2. Pacific Lutheran 8:12.9, 3. Evergreen 8:17.6, 4. Western Washington 8:27.0, 5. Puget Sound 8:28.1, 6. Humboldt State 8:45.4, 7. Portland State 8:55.1

MEN

Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound-A 6:36.9, 2. Oregon 6:43.5, 3. Lewis & Clark 6:46.1, 4. Western Washington 6:51.3, 5. Willamette 6:59.2, 6. Puget Sound-B 7:00.7, 7. Humboldt State 7:06.4, 8. Pacific Lutheran 7:27.5

Varsity 4 - 1. Puget Sound 6:48.9, 2. Western Washington 6:54.7, 3. Humboldt State 7:00.6, 4. Portland 7:04.5, 5. Seattle Pacific 7:12.7, 6. Lewis & Clark 7:13.1, 7. Pacific Lutheran 7:14.1, 8. Willamette 7:21.1

Junior Varsity 4 - 1. Willamette 7:16.1, 2. Puget Sound 7:21.1, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:31.6, 4. Western Washington 7:33.3, 5. Humboldt State 7:45.1, 6. Pacific Lutheran 7:51.5, 7. Seattle Pacific 7:52.7

2nd Novice 4 - 1. Western Washington 7:19.4, 2. Puget Sound 7:26.5

Pair - 1. Puget Sound 8:03.5, 2. Seattle Pacific 8:04.5, 3. Western Washington 8:07.4, 4. Pacific Lutheran 8:17.9, 5. Willamette 9:46.2.

WESTERN LINEUPS:

WOMEN

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

Second Varsity 8 - coxswain Krissy Whaley (Jr., Woodinville), stroke Sarah Rule (Jr., Mercer Island/UConn), No.7 Katrina Anderson (So., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage), No.6 Jenn McGrath (So., Enumclaw), No.5 Lindsay Jennings (Sr., Seattle/Garfield), No.4 Patricia Cittadini (Sr., Bellevue/Newport), No.3 Andrea Hoyt (Fr., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly), No.2 Courtney Moeller (Jr., Renton/Liberty), bow Sarah Forney (So., Monroe).

Third Varsity 8 - coxswain Alexandra Hailey (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), stroke Jessica Narkevitz (So., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.7 Katie Fadden (So., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.6 Dana Skoog (Fr., Seattle/Holy Names), No.5 Quinn Sanford (Sr., Olympia/Capital/Cottey JC), No.4 Jessica Logan (So., Olympia/Capital/South Puget Sound CC), No.3 Maddy Tobin-Shubin (Fr., Santa Rosa, CA/Summerfield), No.2 Bethany Carlsen (Fr., Issaquah), bow Nicole Samuelson (Fr., Shoreline/Shorecrest).

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

Varsity 4 - coxswain Emily Davis (Sr., Carnation/Mount Si), stroke Julia Gamache (So., Seattle/Blanchet), No.3 Laurel Kaminski (Sr., Bellevue/Newport). No.2 Patricia Cittadini (Sr., Bellevue/Newport), bow Brittany Kruger (Sr., Longview/Mark Morris).

Junior Varsity 4 - coxswain Krissy Whaley (Jr., Woodinville), stroke Sarah Rule (Jr., Mercer Island/UConn), No.3 Katrina Anderson (So., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage), No.2 Jenn McGrath (So., Enumclaw), bow Sarah Forney (So., Monroe).

Novice 4 - coxswain Alexandra Hailey (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), stroke Lindsay Mann-King (Fr., Colville/Seattle U.), No.3 Stephanie Parker (Fr., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck/Seattle Pacific), No.2 Liz Fayram (Fr., Bellingham), bow Lindsay Jennings (Sr., Seattle/Garfield).

Second Novice 4 - coxswain Alexandra Hailey (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), stroke Jessica Narkevitz (So., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.3 Dana Skoog (Fr., Seattle/Holy Names), No.2 Halena Van Deusen (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline), bow Holly Page (Fr., Tacoma/Washington).

MEN

Varsity 8 - coxswain Austin Jenkins (Jr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Joshua Griesse (Jr., Pleasant Hill, OR), No.7 Case Sweerus (So., Gig Harbor), No.6 Jonathan Fox (Jr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.5 Aaron Novy (Fr., Richland), No.4 Andy Foltz (So., Sumner), No.3 Phil DuBois (Jr., Olympia/Capital), No.2 Will Bufford (Jr., Port Angeles/Peninsula CC), bow Gavin Owens (Fr. Vancouver/Columbia River).

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).

Junior Varsity 4 - coxswain 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 Gavin Owens (Fr. Vancouver/Columbia River).

Novice 4 - coxswain Brittany Poirson (Fr., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Aaron Novy (Fr., Richland), No.3 Will Bufford (Jr., Port Angeles/Peninsula CC), No.2 Ryan Hansgen (Fr., Maple Valley/Tahoma), bow Nathan Pedersen (So., Peaks Island, ME/Portland/Gateway CC).

Pair - Joshua Griesse (Jr., Pleasant Hill, OR), Case Sweerus (So., Gig Harbor)