Women's crew sets course records in New Bedford; Men fall to Wentworth

New Bedford, Mass. - Endicott Crew kicked off the 2012 New England Collegiate Rowing League season against Wentworth.  Simultaneously, Brandeis and Roger Williams faced off.  The days races marked the first ever sprint races held in New Bedford Harbor, the future home of New Bedford Community Rowing and a their future world class race site.

After Wentworth scratched their women's varsity four due to equipment issues, Endicott's two women's varsity crews lined up against Brandeis and two crews from Roger Williams.  The Endicott A boat (c: Kaitlyn Walker, 4: Joy Harriman, 3: Emily Heath, 2: Courtney Russell, 1: Andrea Ford) set the course record time at 8:28.17, 34 seconds faster than second place Roger Williams.  Endicott's B four (c: Michael Herman, 4: Casey Foote, 3: Jennifer Thomas, 2: Lianna Soreide, 1: Allison Loomis) rounded out the field in fifth.

Not to be outdone, the women's novice A four (c: Maria Battista, 4: Anne Ahrens, 3: Rachel Mueller, 2: Marina Phillipps, 1: Kathryn A'Hearn) bested Wentworth with a time of 9:34.52, while the women's novice B four (c: Jim Dooley, 4: Kate O'Donnell, 3: Stephanie Yepez, 2: Jennifer Lawson, 1: Hollie Tavares) finished third.  The novice A four had the best time of all women's novice boats all day, giving them Endicott's second course record of the day.

The Gull men faces stiff competition in the Wentworth men.  The varsity men's four (c: Mariah Scanlon, 4: Nathan Simeon, 3: Clayton Morrissey, 2: Charles Nastasi, 1: Alston Adkins) fought hard, but finished 29 seconds behind Wentworth's A boat and just 3 seconds behind their very experienced B four.  The Gulls time was the third fastest of five men's varsity crews to traverse the course on the day.  The novice men (c: Michael Fortin, 4: Dan Richards, 3: Ian Kaeding, 2: Scott Moore, 1: Kevin Duffy) sandwiched between Wentworth's two novice men's crews.

Full results are below.  After a weekend off of competition, the Gulls travel to Worcester for a non-league race against Clark, Assumption, Bryant, and Merrimack on April 14.

1. Endicott A - 8:28.17

2. Roger Williams A - 9:02.43

3. Brandeis - 9:10.99

4. Roger Williams B - 9:23.27

5. Endicott B - 9:43.71

1. Wentworth A - 7:13.50

2. Wentworth B - 7:39.55

3. Endicott - 7:42.73

1. Endicott A - 9:34.52

2. Wentworth - 11:00.12

3. Endicott B - 12:06.17

1. Wentworth A - 7:41.20

2. Endicott - 8:47.14

3. Wentworth B - 10:18.14