Results

BOSTON — The Northeastern University women's rowing team earned a split with Penn and Syracuse in the Orange Challenge Cup on Saturday morning on the Charles River. Syracuse won the varsity race to retain the cup for a second straight year despite a spirited charge from the second-place Huskies.

With a steady headwind rolling down the Charles River basin, the Northeastern varsity overcame a slow start and erased a nearly six-seat margin in the final 500 meters before losing to Syracuse by two seconds. The Huskies continued to move impressively on the Orange through the finish line but ran out of race course before being able to complete the comeback. Penn moved quickly off the stake boats to start the race, grabbing a three-seat lead on Syracuse and NU by the 500-meter mark. The Orange moved through the Quakers and led Penn by four seats—and NU by six seats—as the crews reached the midway point. The Huskies appeared to be a different crew as they emerged from the shadows of the Massachusetts Avenue bridge. By the 1500-meter mark, NU had moved through Penn and continued to push Syracuse, which maintained a six-seat advantage. The Huskies continued their dogged pursuit and moved on Syracuse through the final 500 meters but could not close the gap entirely. The Orange crossed the line in 7:13.3, followed by NU at 7:15.6, and Penn at 7:23.8.

In the second varsity race, it was Syracuse that established the early advantage. By 500 meters, the Orange had five seats on Penn, which had one seat on Northeastern. The margins between each boat increased over the body of the race, with Syracuse winning with a time of 7:27.1. Penn was second at 7:35.4, followed by Northeastern at 7:43.1

Syracuse moved quickly on the field in the varsity four 'A' race, with Northeastern and Penn engaged in an entertaining battle for second place. The Quakers, who were level with the Huskies at 500, edged out to a slight lead by the midway point and maintained the margin through 1500. Penn appeared to add to the advantage early in the final 500 meters before a sprint by the Huskies nearly closed the gap. Syracuse posted a time of 8:17.9 to finish first. Penn held off the Northeastern charge to finish 0.6-second ahead of the Huskies, with a time of 8:43.0 to NU's 8:43.6.

In the third varsity eight race, Penn broke an early deadlock to win by open water. In the race's early stage, Penn and NU were level at 500, with Syracuse slightly behind. The Quakers, though, moved out on the field by the midway point, with Syracuse and Northeastern level in a battle for second. By 1500 meters, Penn had open water on the field and the Orange led NU by one length. The crews maintained positions through the finish, with times of 8:13.8 (Penn), 8:24.9 (Syracuse), and 8:28.6 (NU).

Northeastern was scheduled to race Dartmouth and Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon. Those races were canceled due to deteriorating conditions on the Charles River course. The Huskies will return to action next Saturday, April 12, when they host Columbia in a battle for the Woodbury Cup. The third varsity will open competition at 7 a.m.

RESULTS:
Distance: 2000m
Conditions: Headwind starting at 11 mph building to 13 mph by end of racing. Water was choppy at the start, calmer at the finish.
Order of racing: V8, 2V8, V4A, 3V8
V8: 1. Syracuse 7:13.3; 2. Northeastern 7:15.6; 3. Penn 7:23.8
2V8: 1. Syracuse 7:27.1; 2. Penn 7:35.4; 3. Northeastern 7:43.1
V4A: 1. Syracuse 8:17.9; 2. Penn 8:43.0; 3. Northeastern 8:43.6
3V8: 1. Penn 8:13.8; 2. Syracuse 8:24.9; 3. Northeastern 8:28.6

LINE-UPS:
Varsity 8
C: Erin McElroy
8: Katie O'Connell
7: Chloe Laverack
6: Alaina Williams
5: Kelsey Mancini
4: Taylor Craddock
3: Hayley Oleksiak
2: Kelsey Flynn
1: Jillian Hoban

Second varsity eight
C: Lauren Terris
8: Birgitta Husebye
7: Averyl Freimarck
6: Nadine Pozzobon
5: Nicole Bishop
4: Kristen Brozowski
3: Chelsea Brown
2: Heather Foti
1: Victoria Babchak

Third varsity eight
C: Jessica Goodman
8: Ena Nimb
7: Kathryn Averwater
6: Jacqueline Garruto
5: Corinne Austin
4: Elena Shikaloff
3: Katja Lange
2: Elvira Stridsberg
1: Olivia Fleming

Varsity four
C: Meghan O'Keefe
4: Margaret Bergson
3: Faith Harper
2: Margaret Walsh
1: Rachel Rosenthal

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