Bearcats are Second in Petite Final of WV4+ at WIRA Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FOLSOM, CALIF. -- The Willamette University women's varsity 4+ crew took second place in the Petite Final of the D2/D3/Club event at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championship Regatta on Saturday, April 27 on Lake Natoma.

Willamette finished fifth in preliminary heat #2 of the WV4+. The top three crews in each of two heats advanced to the Grand Final, set for Sunday, April 28. Teams from fourth through sixth in each heat moved into the Petite Final, which was held later on Saturday.

Humboldt State University won Willamette's preliminary heat in 7:47.3. Seattle Pacific University was second at 7:49.4. The Long Beach State University club team took third in 7:56.3, while the University of Oregon club was fourth at 7:56.6 and Willamette was fifth at 8:06.6. The club team from the University of California at Santa Barbara was sixth in 8:22.4.

Moving into the Petite Final from heat #1 were Pacific Lutheran University, the Chico State University club team and the University of California club team.

The top three finishers in the Petite Final were all from heat #2. The University of Oregon club won the race with a time of 8:19.9. Willamette was second in 8:27.2, while UC-Santa Barbara took third in 8:42.0. Chico State's club team was fourth at 8:56.0, with Pacific Lutheran in fifth at 9:03.9, and the University of California club team in sixth at 9:07.1

Rowing for the Bearcats in the WV4+ were Kate Pfeiffer (Sr., Redding, CA/University Preparatory School) at stroke, Caroline Cahill (Maplewood, NJ/Lawrenceville School) at 3-seat, Alli Claypool-Conrad (So., Ashland, OR/Ashland HS) at 2-seat and Anna Fredendall (So., Atlanta, GA/Dekalb School of the Arts) at bow. Rachel Robinson was Willamette's coxswain.

Willamette will compete at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) Championships on Saturday, May 4. The regatta will be held at Lake Stevens in Lake Stevens, Wash.

NOTE: On the results, UC-Santa Barbara is listed incorrectly as UCSD in the Petite Final of the WV4+ (it should be UCSB).