Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Michigan, Notre Dame, Clemson
Spartan Rowing Posts Mixed Results In Season Opener
3/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
March 24, 2007
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Michigan State women's rowing team opened up its regular season at the University of Michigan on Saturday, with the Spartan second varsity eight and second varsity four capturing first-place finishes. In addition to the Wolverines, MSU faced competition from Notre Dame and Clemson in the varsity eight events.
"All of our boats have strengths that they developed today," said MSU head coach Matt Weise. "The second eight, from a program perspective, had the best performance of the day, but they can still make technical improvements. That is what the early season is all about, evaluating what we need to work on. As a team, we need to be more consistent and find ways to improve."
The crew of Vicky Grygar, Jessica Vandenberg, Clare Adamus, Daryl Lederle, Alex Maibusch, Megan Kursik, Amanda Dunnill, Emily Huddleston and Ashley Pietrowski opened its season, finishing third with a time of 7:22.13 in the novice eight race, to the Fighting Irish (7:09.87) and Wolverines (7:18.12).
In the second varsity four, Catie Tyzo, Nicolette Clifford, Julie Ward, Dhanielle Tobias and coxswain Amanda Ruhno came off the starting line with a slight lead that advanced as the crew passed through each 500 meter mark. The Spartans had open water on the Wolverines by the 1000-meter mark and advanced their lead with 500 meters remaining. MSU crossed the line at 8:05.14, followed by Michigan (8:19.60), Notre Dame (8:22.16) and the Michigan State third varsity four (8:52.79).
"It felt good," said Clifford. "We were getting in and on together. It was solid through the entire piece and we didn't let anyone get through us."
In the next race, the MSU varsity four ended the day in second, finishing behind the winning crew from Notre Dame (7:50.76). Despite being down in the first 1000 meters, the Spartans put themselves back in the race, finishing in 8:00.31, defeating the third-place boat from Michigan which finished in 8:18.14.
In the second varsity eight race, Michigan State took the lead following the starting sequence and continued to lengthen its lead throughout the race, finishing with open water on the second-place Wolverines.
"It was exciting to be done with winter training and back in race mode," sophomore Sarah Schmidt, stroke of the second eight said. "We were happy to face our competition on the water."
MSU's second varsity eight of coxswain Tamara Yantovsky, Schmidt, Jenna Peters, Ashley Peach, Emily Regan, Kate Taylor, Danica Bevan, Ashley Wenneman and Lauren Gamble finished in first place with a time of 6:59.33. Michigan (7:06.20), Clemson (7:10.67) and Notre Dame (7:12.46) rounded out the event.
In the final race of the day, the Michigan State varsity eight of Katie Bitz, Roz Bialczak, Kate Burdick, Anne Cowan, Erika Shaw, Sarah Kreft, Paula Thoms, Michelle Mussett and Joanna Brown captured third, posting a time of 6:57.20. The Spartans fell behind the pack early but used a push with 500 meters remaining to move through the boat from Michigan, who finished fourth with a time 6:58.54. Clemson won the event (6:51.30) and Notre Dame came in second (6:54.44).
Michigan State will have a week-long break from competition and will return to action on April 7 against Virginia and South Florida.
