April 14, 2003
MARINA DEL RAY, Calif. - The San Diego State rowing team won two of the four events over the weekend at the 28th annual Norman P. Miller Cup regatta hosted by UCLA. The Miller Cup featured crews from San Diego State, Loyola Marymount, Orange Coast College, University of San Diego, UC Irvine, and UCLA. Preliminary races (2000m) were held in the early morning with the finals (1750m) immediately following.
San Diego State faced UCLA and the University of San Diego in the second varsity eight grand final. San Diego State took the early advantage off the starting line at a blistering pace of stroke rate 40. After 1000m, the Aztecs increased their lead to more than a boat-length, controlling the race and winning in 6:30.10. In the SDSU second varsity eight shell were Amber Kerns (stroke), Stella Conger, Stephanie Loutas, Sarah McKillip, Sarah Fox, Krista Lysogorski, Rachel Saldivar, Rebecca Cattaneo (bow), and Alison Abrams (cox). The victory marked the second time in as many weeks that SDSU has defeated UCLA, as the Aztecs edged out the Bruins by one second at the San Diego Crew Classic held April 5-6.
San Diego State, UCLA, and USD met again in the varsity four grand final. In the SDSU boat was Audrey Edney (stroke), Rachel Young, Whitney Hannum, and Eleanor Rollings (bow), with Denise Gilmore-McPherson serving as coxswain. The Aztecs took an early lead at the boathouse (1000m) and maintained a full-length advantage over second-place UCLA, finishing in 6:55.40.
In the novice eight grand final, San Diego State also battled UCLA and the USD. Rowing for the Aztecs was the seventh-ranked lightweight eight crew of Ellen Wilson, (stroke) Vanessa Kenley, Amanda Briggs, Amanda Corvera, Kelcey Stricker, Rachael Vrooman, Jamie Willeford, Katie Lee (bow) and Laurie Nakamura (cox). The Bruins led after a good start and never relinquished the lead, maintaining a two-length advantage over San Diego State and USD, taking the victory in 6:23.30. San Diego State finished second, clocking in at 6:39.10, followed by USD at 6:48.40.
The Aztec varsity eight lineup of Ashley Paiko (stroke), Brittany McMahon, Alicia Stuebner, Amy Opielowski, Kristin Olson, Stephanie Snaman, Venesa Meses, Kate Stromberg (bow) and Alicia Chudy (coxswain), were unable to defend their Miller Cup title from a year ago. The Aztecs were narrowly beaten out by LMU in the preliminaries.
"As a team we did very well," said SDSU head coach Scott Steckel. "The novice lightweights were second to one of the top novice eights in the country in UCLA and the varsity four won handily in its final. The first varsity was the class of their field but, unfortunately, we were not a few seconds faster to make that grand final. This team will battle back and fight to go faster as the season progresses."
Next up for the crew team is the San Diego City Championships regatta. The event features UCSD, USD and San Diego State University men's and women's teams and will take place in Tecolote Channel in East Mission Bay on Saturday, April 19, beginning at 7 a.m. The Aztec women's varsity eight crew is the eight-time defending Patty Wyatt Cup champion at next weekend's annual regatta.
Prelims (2000m)Varsity Fours - Heat 11. San Diego State - 8:05.702. UCLA V4- 8:07.703. UCLA 2V4 - 8:25.80
Novice Eights - Heat 21. San Diego State - 7:13.602. University of San Diego - 7:16.703. Loyola Marymount - 7:43.60
Second Varsity Eights - Heat 11. San Diego State - 7:22.402. UC Irvine - 7:27.083. Orange Coast - 7:31.60
Varsity Eights - Heat 11. Loyola Marymount - 6:55.102. San Diego State - 6:58.603. UC Irvine - 7:03.50
Finals (1750m)
Varsity Four Grand Final1. San Diego State - 6:55.402. UCLA - 7:05.403. University of San Diego - 7:13.50
Novice Eight Grand Final1. UCLA - 6:23.302. San Diego State - 6:39.103. University of San Diego - 6:48.40
Second Varsity Eight Grand Final1. San Diego State - 6:30.102. University of San Diego - 6:34.503. UCLA - 6:38.50
Varsity Eight Petite Final(for places 4-5)1. UC Irvine - 6:09.402. San Diego State - 6:13.30
Varsity Eight Grand Final(Miller Cup Race)1. UCLA - 5:54.602. University of San Diego - 5:58.603. Loyola Marymount - 6:00.00