Gonzaga University
WCC Championships
Women's Rowing Takes Second At WCC Championship
4/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Crew
April 30, 2010
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - The West Coast Conference women's rowing title came down to the Varsity 8+ race and it was a heart pounding finish. The Bulldogs battled the University of San Diego back and forth for the full 2,000-meters but in the end the Toreros pulled out one of slightest margins of victory in WCC history, winning the race and their first-ever title in a time of 6:43.6, just ahead of the Bulldogs at 6:43.8.
San Diego, who also won the Varsity 4+ race and placed second in the Junior Varsity 8+ race, claimed the WCC Championship with 28 total points, just ahead of Gonzaga who accumulated 26 points with a win in the Junior Varsity 8+ race and two second places finishes. Loyola Marymount University was third with 18 points, Saint Mary's College earned fourth with 12 points and Santa Clara University took fifth with three points.
"Hats off to San Diego," stated head coach Melissa Flint after the race. "The Toreros are definitely a faster program this year and we battled neck-and-neck with them for the championship. I am proud of all our boats and am extremely happy with the solid race the Junior Varsity 8+ boat put together today."
This is only the second time in 14 years Gonzaga has not won the West Coast Conference title. The only other time came in 2006 when Loyola Marymount University earned the championship.
The Varsity 8+ race turned into a dual between Gonzaga and San Diego early on. The boats swapped leads and after 1,000 meters, the Bulldogs were four seats up on the Toreros but USD made a surge and pulled even with GU with 500 meters to go. Both boats battled back and forth at the end of the race with San Diego having the final stroke to push the Toreros through the finish line first.
"Either team could have won that race," said Flint. "It wasn't our best race and didn't respond well. We have to now turn our attention to the WIRA's though, that is our focus. I hope we can put together our best racing of the weekend tomorrow and Sunday."
The Zag Junior Varsity 8+ dominated from start to finish. Gonzaga won the race with a time of 7:06.2, nearly nine seconds ahead of the second place Toreros who finished the course in 7:15.4.
"The Junior Varsity put together a really solid race today," explained Flint. "They walked away from the other boats and just kept on going."
Loyola Marymount took third in the JV race with a time of 7:24.1 with Saint Mary's taking fourth at 7:55.2.
The first race of the day was the Varsity 4+ and San Diego claimed the victory with a finish of 8:00.2. Gonzaga crossed the finish line second at 8:07.2, followed by Loyola Marymount (8:39.3) and Saint Mary's College (8:43.5).
Like last weekend at Silver Lake, the boats had to battle a heavy wind from the north.
Gonzaga had two rowers earn All-WCC honors with Liz Moore and Alissa Stempson being honored. The Bulldogs will now compete in the WIRA Championships on Saturday and Sunday at Lake Natoma.
WCC Women's Rowing Championships
Friday, April 30, 2010
Lake Natoma (Rancho Cordova, Calif.)
52 degrees, heavy wind from the north
WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM STANDINGS
1. University of San Diego (28 points)
2. Gonzaga University (26)
3. Loyola Marymount University (18)
4. Saint Mary's College (12)
5. Santa Clara University (3)
I-Four Results
1. San Diego, 8:00.2
2. Gonzaga, 8:07.0
3. Loyola Marymount, 8:39.3
4. Saint Mary's, 8:43.5
II-Eight Results
1. Gonzaga, 7:06.2
2. San Diego, 7:15.4
3. Loyola Marymount, 7:24.1
4. Saint Mary's, 7:55.2
I-Eight Results
1. San Diego, 6:43.6
2. Gonzaga, 6:43.8
3. Loyola Marymount, 7:11.0
4. Saint Mary's, 7:21.1
5. Santa Clara, 7:31.0
2010 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Kim Cupini (University of San Diego)
2010 West Coast Conference Coxswain of the Year
Allyn Delozier (University of San Diego)
2010 West Coast Conference All-Conference Team
Jordan Bonadio (Saint Mary's College)
Jennifer Bullian (Santa Clara University)
Allyn Delozier (University of San Diego)
Michelle Herrerias (Loyola Marymount University)
Christine Holloway (University of San Diego)
Liz Moore (Gonzaga University)
Hannah Patrick (University of San Diego)
Katharine Petrich (University of San Diego)
Alissa Stempson (Gonzaga University)
