May 11, 2012
PHILADELPHIA - San Diego State's Varsity Eight boat qualified for Saturday's semifinal round at the prestigious Aberdeen Dad Vial Regatta being conducted this weekend on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia. The event, which has been held since 1934, is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States and features the top rowing teams from across the nation.
The Aztecs finished fourth of six boats in their morning Varsity Eight heat and moved on to the repechage with a chance to qualify for Saturday's finals with a top-two placing. SDSU did so by winning its repechage heat in a field that included Lehigh, LaSalle, North Carolina and Georgia Tech.
That victory moved the Aztecs into Saturday's semifinals which will consist of three heats scheduled from 10:40-10:53 a.m. with the top two bots in each of three heats advancing to the Final scheduled for 4:20 p.m. that afternoon. The third- and fourth-place boats in each semi heat will compete in the Second Final at 4:40 p.m. to determine seventh through 12th place in the division.
The Aztec crew for the Varsity Eight included Emma Peck (coxswain), Sarah Gannon (stroke), Chelsee Brewster (seven), Kate Raymond (six), Emily Walton (five), Vivianna Smith (four), Marissa Shaw (three), Sophie Poser (two) and Romaine Desclos (bow).
In its Junior Varsity Heat, San Diego State failed to move on as it finished fourth behind Bucknell, Buffalo and Purdue. Only the top two boats qualified to go on the Saturday's final The Aztec boat was rowed by Jennifer Miller (coxswain), Lindsay Miller (stroke), Chandler Cole (seven), Rae Backens (six), Peggy Tio (five), Darian Kimball (four), Kaitlyn Goss (three), Alex Accornero (two) and Erica Orgon (bow).
VARSITY EIGHT HEAT
1. Old Dominion - 6:48.357
2. Sacramento State - 6:51.675
3. George Mason - 6:53.410
4. San Diego State - 6:54.780
5. Jacksonville - 7:09.415
6. William & Mary - 7:19.077
VARSITY EIGHT REPECHAGE
1. San Diego State - 7:03.145
2. Lehigh - 7:08.538
3. LaSalle - 7:13.373
4. North Carolina - 7:16.712
5. Georgia Tech - 7:34.779
JUNIOR VARSITY HEAT
1. Bucknell - 7:02.304
2. Buffalo - 7:08.334
3. Purdue - 7:13.941
4. San Diego State - 7:27.294