May 7, 2010
PHILADELPHIA - Both of San Diego State entries at the annual Dad Vail Regatta finished among the leaders in their qualifying heat on Saturday and will move on to Sunday's semifinal races. The event, which has been held since 1934, is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States and is being contested on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia this weekend.
In the Varsity Eight competition, with the top two finishers in each of the six heats moving on to the semifinals, the Aztecs' boat finished its heat in second place behind Drexel to advance to Saturday's semi against Massachusetts, Delaware, Purdue, St. Joseph's and Jacksonville at 9:40 a.m. The top three boats in each semifinal heat will then compete in the final for the Evelyn Bergman Trophy at 2:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
The Aztec crew for the Varsity Eight includes Tanya Ochoa (coxswain), Casi Boyle (stroke), Jaime Hinton (seven), Anna Ohrstrom (six), Stefanie Krach (five), Paige Funk (four), Kristin Guissanie (three), Lily Kurkjian (two) and Lauren Bischoff (bow).
San Diego State's second varsity boat, which was entered in the Junior Varsity Eight category, captured first place in its heat to qualify for the semifinal round. The crew of Vanessa Jones (coxswain), Michelle Boyer (stroke), Julie Moyer (seven), Mallory Scarpello (six), Alyson Boyd (five), Ali Schroeder (four), Jessica Teora (three), Kayla McKenna (two) and Darian Kimball (bow) rowed to a two-second victory over St. Joseph's in their heat.
San Diego State will be matched up against North Carolina, Old Dominion, Buffalo, Drexel and Vermont in its semifinal heat at 9:20 a.m. on Saturday with the top three boats from each of the semi heats moving on to the semis. A top-three finish will mean that the Aztecs would advance to the final for the Coleman D. Boylan trophy at 1:00 p.m.
FRIDAY RESULTSVarsity Eight - Heat 5 of 61. Drexel - 6:47.9502. San Diego State - 6:53.3463. Vermont - 6:57.2964. Old Dominion - 6:57.4665. Oklahoma City - 7:08.6106. La Salle - 9:09.044
Junior Varsity Eight - Heat 3 of 41. San Diego State - 7:21.8972. St. Joseph's - 7:23.5013. North Carolina - 7:45.1244. Ohio State - 8:07.4315. Ohio - 8:51.947