April 12, 2015
FOLSOM, Calif. — A second strong day of racing carried the University of Notre Dame rowing team to a top group finish on Sunday at the Lake Natoma Invitational. The Irish utilized one race victory and a pair of runner-up results to place at the top of Group B during the final day of the regatta on Lake Natoma.
No. 16 Notre Dame earned 37 points over two days of racing to claim the group title over San Diego and Gonzaga, who each tied for second with 35 points. The Irish raced both foes during the Sunday morning session.
San Diego claimed a narrow heat victory in the day’s first event, posting a time of 7:32.30 in the first varsity four. The Notre Dame entry of coxswain Mikaela Prego, Bailey Amenabar, Elizabeth Walter, Meredith Swartz and Rose Doerfler finished as the heat runner-up with a time of 7:34.80.
The Irish and Toreros were involved in a dead heat during second varsity eight racing, as both crews crossed the finish line with identical 6:47.00 readouts to share the heat victory. Coxswain Reilly Kearney, Elizabeth Gilbert, Emily Horton, Ellen Gleadow, Gretchen Bruggeman, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Hilary Shinnick and Madeline Loper carried Notre Dame to its first race win of the regatta.
Gonzaga made sure that all three teams claimed at least one event win during the final session, taking the last race of the day in the first varsity eight. The Bulldogs logged a winning time of 6:37.80 for their only win of the closing race matchups. The Notre Dame lineup of Alex Techar, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan clocked a runner-up time of 6:44.00.
Notre Dame returns to competitive racing on April 24-25, traveling to the Dale England Cup on Lake Lemon in Bloomington, Indiana.
Lake Natoma Invitational — Sunday Races
No. 16 Notre Dame vs. No. RV San Diego vs. No. RV Gonzaga
First Varsity Four
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Mikaela Prego, Bailey Amenabar, Elizabeth Walter, Meredith Swartz and Rose Doerfler — 7:34.80
Second Varsity Eight
1. NOTRE DAME (C) Reilly Kearney, Elizabeth Gilbert, Emily Horton, Ellen Gleadow, Gretchen Bruggeman, Sarah Russel, Katie Skorcz, Hilary Shinnick and Madeline Loper —
6:47.00
First Varsity Eight
2. NOTRE DAME (C) Alex Techar, Carlee Beckler, Sarah Kappers, Catherine Wagner, Joanna Mulvey, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Anna Kottkamp and Ailish Sheehan — 6:44.00
–ND–