Blue Crew Opens Spring Season Versus Top-Ranked Bates, Tufts, Wesleyan

MEDFORD, Mass. – The No. 3 ranked Wellesley College crew team opened the spring racing season on Saturday afternoon on the Malden River, squaring off with three of the top-ten teams in the nation in No. 1 Bates, No. 5 Wesleyan and No. 7 Tufts.

The four squads matched up in a series of dual races throughout the morning, contesting with only a moderate headwind as temperatures reached the mid-40s by the end of competition.

The Blue's Varsity Eight posted the second fastest time of the day (06:51.2) in their opening match-up with Wesleyan, but the Cardinals soared to a mark of 6:46.7 to relegate the Blue to the Petite Final. In the Petite Final, the Blue's Varsity Eight (06:56.8) defeated Tufts (07:07.8). Defending national champion Bates (06:53.0) won the Varsity Eight Grand Final over Wesleyan (07:04.1).

The 2nd Varsity Eight opened with a solid victory over Wesleyan, posting a time of 07:00.4 to win by a difference of 14 seconds. However, the squad couldn't overcome Bates in the Grand Final, as the Bobcats surged past the Blue at the 1000m mark to finish with a time of 06:58.9. Wellesley trailed by just over four seconds with a time of 7:03.4.

Wellesley's 3rd Varsity also advanced to the Grand Final versus Bates, following a commanding win over Wesleyan in their first race. The Blue 3V8 posted a time of 7:25.5 to defeat Wesleyan (07:40.4) in their opening heat, before recording a time of 07:47.7 to finish seven seconds behind Bates in the 3V8 Grand Final. 

The Blue got the better of the Bobcats in the Novice Eight, beating Bates off the line to finish with a time of 7:33.66 to Bates' mark of 7:39.46. Wellesley's Novice Four rallied from an opening race setback (9:02.48) to Wesleyan (8.28.06) to cap off the day with a victory (9:21.35) over Tufts (9:45.11).

Blue Crew and Bates will both head to Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass. tomorrow morning to match-up with WPI, Trinity and Rochester beginning at 9:00 AM.

Wellesley Lineups:

V8
c- Stephanie Kim, 8 - Margaret Babikian, 7- Meg Roberts, 6- Audrey Ellis, 5- Loren Lock, 4- Sydney Dollmeyer, 3- Kathryn Barth, 2- Lauren Bazley, 1- Grace Howland 

2V8
c- Alessandra Zaldivar-Giuffredi, 8- Sahar Ibrahim, 7- Olivia Thayer, 6- Katie Livingston, 5- Anna Hakes, 4- Kelsey Campbell, 3- Molly Hoyer, 2- Olivia Duggan, 1- Jocelyn Reahl 

3V8
c- Ginger Simms, 8- Alexandra Rondeau, 7- Annie Schnitzer, 6- Nina McKee, 5- Sloane Rice, 4- Liz Shumway, 3- Alexis Lowe, 2- Alexi Block-Gorman (race 1)/Charlotte Weiss (race 2), 1- Emily Ahn 

N8+
c- Alex Klufas, 8- Emilia Ball, 7- Chloey Garza, 6- Anna Gaskill, 5- Sarah Smith-Tripp, 4- Sianna Casey, 3- Alyssa Rivera, 2- Mia Caglieris, 1- Julia Wainwright 

N4+
c- Molly Quan, 4- Sophia Eakins, 3- Clare Auld-Brokish. 2- Chelsey Opalenik, 1- Tamara Deshong