By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
GASTON, ORE. -- Willamette University defeated Pacific University and lost to Lewis & Clark College in head-to-head women's varsity 8+ races at the Haag Lake Regatta, hosted by Pacific on Saturday, March 19. The Bearcats also competed in the women's second varsity 8+, the women's varsity 4+ and the women's novice 8+.
In the first round of the WV8+, Willamette finished in 7:22.59 to easily win against Pacific by open water. The Boxers reached the finish line in 8:09.80. In the other heat in the first round, Pacific Lutheran University defeated Lewis & Clark College and the University of Oregon club team. PLU's time was 6:42.94, while L&C was timed at 6:48.17 and the Oregon club completed the course in 7:21.38.
During the second round, PLU defeated Willamette, as the Lutes rowed to a time of 7:04.29 and the Bearcats achieved a time of 7:37.10. Also in the second round, Lewis & Clark downed Pacific, with the Pioneers finishing in 7:22.51. Pacific's time was 8:28.55.
Competing for Willamette in the women's varsity 8+ were Carrie Moore (So., Walla Walla, WA/South Eugene HS) at stroke, Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, WA/Mount Rainier HS) at 7-seat, Hannah Puckett (Jr., Davis, CA/Davis HS) at 6-seat, Elizabeth Crowther (Fr., Boise, ID/Boise High School) at 5-seat, Miranda Martin (So., St. Louis, MO/Ladue Horton Watkins HS) at 4-seat, Rachael Christman (Fr., Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) at 3-seat, Julia Di Simone (So., Livermore, CA/Livermore Valley Charter Prep) at 2-seat, and Sarah Fish (Jr., Issaquah, WA/Holy Names Academy) at bow. The WV8+ coxswain was Kyra Farr (Fr., Bellevue, WA/Newport HS).
Farr also was the coxswain for the women's varsity 4+. Rowing on the WV4+ were Moore at stroke, plus Crowther in 3-seat, Puckett at 2-seat, and Fish at bow.
WU lost to L&C in the WV4+. The Pioneers won in 8:02.40, while Willamette earned a time of 8:14.23. The other heat included Lewis & Clark (7:47.61) and the Oregon club (8:04.44).
As with the WV8+, the W2V8+ featured two rounds of races. In the first round, Pacific Lutheran downed the Bearcats, with PLU crossing the finish line in 7:31.48. The Bearcats recorded a time of 7:49.99. In the other heat, Lewis & Clark at 7:26.19 defeated Pacific Lutheran's W3V8+, which was timed at 7:50.76.
L&C outlasted Willamette in the second round, attaining a time of 7:39.68, while the Bearcats completed the race in 7:44.80. L&C pulled away over the final 500 meters of the 2,000-meter race. Pacific Lutheran won the second heat in 7:44.25, easily defeating the Oregon club, which was timed at 8:29.62.
In the women's second varsity 8+ boat for Willamette were stroke Natalie Branch (Fr., Cupertino, CA/Homestead HS), 7-seat Allison Davies (Fr., Oceanside, CA/Mission Vista HS), 6-seat Carli Fawcett (Fr., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Mission Viejo HS), 5-seat Clara Sims (Fr., Los Lunas, NM/School of Dreams Academy), 4-seat Elspeth Charno (So./Fr., Port Angeles, WA/Port Angeles HS), 3-seat Catharine Creadick (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School), 2-seat Brenda Mittelbuscher (Jr./So., Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS), and bow Annie Jolliff (Fr., Chico, CA/Chico HS). The coxswain was Laura Polkinghorn (Fr., Camino, CA/El Dorado HS).
The W2V8+ crew also competed in the women's novice 8+ with the same coxswain and rowers.
Willamette won its heat in the WN8+ by significant open water against the Oregon club. There was a timing malfunction midway through the race, so overall times for the Bearcats and U of O were not available. The margin of victory was recorded by race officials at 49.35 seconds. The other heat was won by Lewis & Clark in 7:45.84 over Pacific Lutheran at 8:10.22.
The Bearcats will compete against California State University, Chico in a dual regatta on Thursday, March 24. The regatta is set for the Forebay Aqautic Center in Oroville, California.
