CAMDEN, N.J. -- Leading from start to finish, the Columbia varsity women's eight concluded its 2006 season in stirring fashion, by winning the Petite Final at the Eastern Sprints. The second novice eight earned the bronze medal, the second time in as many seasons that a Columbia novice eight earned a medal.
The varsity saw its hopes of making the Grand Final dashed in a close race in the morning heats. Although Brown won the race, Columbia battled Boston University almost to the wire for the second and last qualifying spot for the Grand Final. The Terriers clinched the spot with a second-place finish in 7:12.9 for the 2000-meter Cooper River course, as Columbia was a few seats back, in 7:14.3.
When the Petite Final began in the afternoon, the Lions charged out at the start, and never let up.
"They did something important," head coach Melanie Onufrieff noted. "They took charge of a race and they stayed in charge."
All five of Columbia's opponents stayed with the Lions at first. Then Penn and George Washington dropped back, followed by Syracuse and Cornell. By the 1000-meter halfway point, it was a two-team race, the Lions and Northeastern's Huskies. In the third 500 meters, however, Columbia pulled away from Northeastern to take the lead. As the boats passed Columbia's large, highly-vociferous cheering section, the Lions were clearly both in front and in charge.
Columbia was timed in 7:12.8, with the Huskies second in 7:16.1. Syracuse was third in 7:23.5, followed by Cornell, Penn and GW. The victory avenged Northeastern's victory over the Lions in the Woodbury Cup in Boston last month.
"We're going to lose three valuable seniors from that crew," Onufrieff said, referring to Libby Peters and Jessica Mullin, the co-captains, and Katelin Goheen, "but there were a lot of underclassmen who just learned a lot. I'm proud of them, proud of what they did."
Three other Columbia boats also made their Petite Finals. The novice eight was third in 7:37.2, the second varsity eight was fourth in 7:28.7, and the third varsity four was fifth (of seven) in 8:48.6.
The second varsity, seeded fifth among all 2V eights, was expected to do better, but Onufrieff noted that, "They're tough kids, they're fighters. They'll be fine."
For the second year in a row, Columbia went home with bronze medals. Last year, the first novice eight sported them; this season, it was the second novice eight. The Lions overtook both Navy and Cornell to finish third in the Grand Final -- there were no preliminary heats -- behind Dartmouth and Radcliffe.
Onufrieff was impressed. "They rowed down Navy and beat Cornell to take the medal," she said.
The first novice looked good in its preliminary heat. Seeded just ninth, the Lions lost to eventual silver medalist Brown and Radcliffe, but came down the final 500 impressively in third place, leading Boston College, Penn and George Washington. In the Petite Final, Columbia trailed only Yale and Syracuse.
"We'll add to the varsity's depth next year," novice coach Shannon Moore said, "and help them get faster."
The results and competitors:
EAWRC Sprints
Varsity Eights (Petite Final)
1. Columbia, 7:12.8
2. Northeastern, 7:16.1
3. Syracuse, 7:20.8
4. Cornell, 7:16.1
5. Penn, 7:25.5
6. George Washington, 7:27.3
Second Varsity Eights (Petite Final)
1. Northeastern, 7:22.4
2. Syracuse, 7:27.4
3. Penn, 7:28.1
4. Columbia, 7:28.7
5. Dartmouth, 7:34.1
6. Boston College, 7:43.6
Third Varsity Fours (Petite Final)
1. Princeton, 8:17.6
2. Georgetown, 8:38.4
3. MIT, 8:42.1
4. Rutgers, 8:48.0
5. Columbia, 8:48.6
6. Navy, 8:53.0
7. Boston College, 9:02.3
Novice Eights (Petite Final)
1. Yale, 7:12.6
2. Syracuse, 7:33.3
3. Columbia, 7:37.2
4. Rutgers, 7:45.2
5. Boston College, 7:45.5
6. Boston University, 7:48.3
Second Novice Eights (Grand Final)
1. Dartmouth, 7:26.6
2. Radcliffe, 7:39.1
3. Columbia, 7:50.9
4. Navy, 7:53.3
5. Cornell, 7:54.6
Columbia's Rowers
Varsity Eight: Libby Peters, Sr.-CC, stroke; Katelin Goheen, Sr.-CC, 7; Jessica Mullin, Sr.-CC, 6; Tally Pucher, So.-CC, 5; Emily Tvetenstrand, So.-CC, 4; Katie Bucien, So.-CC, 3; Madeline Hartzell, So.-CC, 2; Jen Evans, So.-CC, bow; Alyson Baker, Jr.-BC, coxswain.
Second Varsity Eight: Jackie Kelly, So.-CC, stroke; Helen Booth-Tobin, Jr.-BC, 7; Kira McMenamin, So.-CC, 6; Liz Pearce, So.-BC, 5; Jeanne Harfield, Jr.-CC, 4; Alex Eisermann, So.-CC, 3; Maria Lissitsyna, So.-BC, 2; Anastasiya Kobtseva, So.-BC, bow; Margaret Wessling, So.-CC, coxswain.
Varsity Four: Jessie Gaynor, So.-CC, stroke; Maura Walsh, Jr.-CC, 3; Bethany O'Shea, Jr.-BC, 2; Emily Stewart, So.-CC, bow; Stephanie Tsao, Jr.-BC, coxswain.
Novice Eight: Genevieve Joy, Fr.-CC, stroke; Sophie Lubin, Fr.-CC, 7; Christina Dittman, Fr.-CC, 6; Sarah Richmond, Fr.-BC, 5; Madeline Lazaris, Fr.-CC, 4; Lauren Valle, Fr.-CC, 3; Lee Havlicek, Fr.-BC, 2; Sarah Fausel, Fr.-CC, bow; Misty Pollard, Fr.-CC, coxswain.
Second Novice Eight: Juliette Pinsky, Fr.-BC, stroke; Marishka Detoy, Fr.-BC, 7; Gina Hartman, Fr.-CC, 6; Virginia Barton, Fr.-BC, 5; Siobhan Gilbert, Fr.-CC, 4; Madeline Rubenstein, Fr.-BC, 3; Courteney Ervin, Fr.-CC, 2; Emily Lane, Fr.-CC, bow; Quincy Sweeney, Fr.-CC, coxswain.
