University of Massachusets Athletics
Varsity Eight Second At Columbia
July 28, 2003 | Rowing
April 20, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts women's varsity eight boat finished second to host-Columbia Saturday at Orchard Beach Lagoon.
Columbia won the varsity eight in 6:38.9, with UMass' team of coxswain Megan Matropolo (Old Trappan, N.J.), Katie O'Brien (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Lizzy Boyle (Darien, Conn.), Lea Jakobsen (Copenhagen, Denmark), Carrie Hellstedt (Westford, Mass.), Lauren Cromwell (Missoula, Mont.), Colleen Banfield (Billerica, Mass.), Anna Talucci (West Chester, Pa.) and Catherine Gariepy (Lorraine, Quebec) finishing second in 6:42.3. Nationally-ranked Northeasten was third in 6:44.5, while Navy was fourth in 6:58.4.
In the second varsity eight race, Columbia was first (6:50.5), followed by Northeastern (6:58.2), UMass (6:59.9) and Navy (7:02.2).
In the novice eight, Northeastern won in 7:01.3, followed by UMass (7:08.9), Columbia (7:33.2) and Navy (7:37.1). Northeastern also took the second novice eight in 7:43.0, with the Minutewomen finishing second in 8:58.5, although it should be noted that their boat experienced an equipment problem during the competition.
The varsity four went to Northeastern in 7:57.0, with Columbia second (8:01.2) and Massachusetts third in 8:07.0.
UMass, seven-time defending A-10 champion, looks to make it eight straight on Saturday when it travels to Collingswood, N.J., for the league meet on the Cooper River.
