The women’s rowing team started the 2008 spring racing season on a positive note with a victory over Dartmouth, Rhode Island and Boston College Saturday.
The Huskies beat Dartmouth by 1.9 seconds with a time of 6:36.1. Dartmouth finished second, followed by URI and BC respectively.
Northeastern opened the race with a clean start and lead from the beginning. The Huskies held a consistent pace throughout the race, which enabled them to maintain the advantage on the other three boats. Dartmouth tried to make a move in the final 500 meters but Northeastern was able to respond and finish the race with a four-seat advantage.
“We were able to row our own race and we committed ourselves to doing so,” said captain Meredith Sparano. “We took control of the race early on and so it was just about maintaining boat speed throughout the rest of the race.”
Though team members on the boat thought they had raced well, they identified various elements they will need to improve upon as the season progresses. Although they implemented a sprint in the final 500 meters this week, the Huskies said they know they are going to have to work on their sprint in preparation of their race next weekend against Syracuse, Penn. and Gonzaga.
“This weekend was a good starting place for the team. We made a great transition from winter training to being back on the water, and we can only pick up speed from here,” said captain Alida Durrant.
All of Dartmouth’s boats were victorious with the exception of the Varsity 8. The rest of Northeastern’s boats rowed to second place finishes, except for the Novice 8, which finished fourth.
The overall mood was positive, with much of the team members racing in their first collegiate spring race. The youth of the team are already racing well together, but recognize that the results should continue to improve as they get more racing experience.
“They [Novice 8] raced well,” said Novice coach Miranda Paris. “The boat learned where they are in relation to other teams. The other teams may be more cohesive because they’ve logged more time on the water together, but with that being said, I believe we have speed and potential. I think our lineup is good and our athletes are definitely racers. Each week will be a step in the right direction, and I really see potential.”
The Huskies look to defend the Orange Cup next weekend when they host Syracuse and Pennsylvania. The racing begins with the Varsity 8 race at 9 a.m. Saturday.