Worcester, MA --- Women's Crew finished in fifth place in the NEWMAC Women's Rowing Championship on Saturday morning at Worcester's Lake Quinsigamond. Smith took home the title, with its Varsity Eight finishing first at 7:07.60. Smith also was victorious in the Second Varsity Eight and Novice Eight races en route to 30 team points, the Florence Jope Smith Cup and the conference championship.

In the six-boat race, Smith defeated second place Wellesley College (7:13.97) by just over six seconds to secure the victory. Mount Holyoke College placed third (7:14.44) while Coast Guard Academy took fourth (7:19.76). The Engineers' Varsity Eight placed fifth, as the team of Katie Siering (Sheridan, OR), Bridget Stevens (Cropseyville, NY), Suzanna Kelley (Attleboro, MA), Cate Simoneau (Greenwich, NY), Steph Kavrakis (Long Beach, NY), Victoria Stutz (Trumbull, CT), Mary Hesler (Glastonbury, CT), Simone Staley (Albany, NY) and coxswain Brianna Ledwith (Jericho, VT) crossed the line at 7:24.82.

WPI's second varsity eight was fourth in its race, adding two points to the Engineers' team total. The boat of Juliana Wakeman (Saratoga Springs, NY), Colyer Sigety (Tampa, FL), Molli Malcolmson (Leominster, MA), Caitlin Quinn (Apoa Air Force Base), Rachel O'Hara (Andover, MA), Cailin Folta (Swampscott, MA), Molly Post (Mt. Kisco, NY), Jillian Morang (Auburn, MA) and cox Holly Fletcher (Dartmouth, MA) completed the course in 8:09.97 behind Smith, Wellesley and Mount Holyoke.

A margin of only eight points separated the 1-2-3 finishers for the Florence Jope Smith Cup, awarded to the team with the highest number of points in the overall competition.  Smith recaptured the Cup after a two-year absence and won it for the seventh time overall. The Pioneers also took first in the novice eight (7:28.30) and the second varsity eight (7:22.58).  Wellesley took home first place in the third varsity eight (7:32.80) and finished second in the second varsity eight by a mere .21 seconds en route to a second place overall finish (24).  Mount Holyoke finished third with 22 points. WPI was fifth with six points.
 
The 2009 NEWMAC All-Conference women's rowing varsity team was also announced at this year's championships, with WPI's Steph Kavrakis (Long Beach, NY) and Katie Siering (Sheridan, OR) earning the all-conference accolades.  Victoria Stutz (Trumbull, CT) was named to the 2009 All-NEWMAC novice team in her first season with the Engineers.

WPI will be back on the lake on Sunday, competing against RIT, RPI, William Smith and Tufts. The Engineers will be in competition with Tufts for the rights to the Bernie Brown Cup. Competition will begin at 8am at Lake Quinsigamond.

Results

SATURDAY'S RESULTS:

Novice Eight
Smith College (7:28.30) - 8 points
Mount Holyoke College (7:29.30) - 6 points
Coast Guard Academy (7:40.86) - 4 points
Wellesley College (7:58.74) - 2 points
 
Third Varsity Eight
Wellesley College (7:32.80) - 6 points
Mount Holyoke College (7:50.29) - 4 points
Smith College (7:50.50) - 2 points 
 
Second Varsity Eight
Smith College (7:22.55) - 8 points
Wellesley College (7:22.76) - 6 points
Mount Holyoke College (7:39.48) - 4 points
WPI  (8:09.97) - 2 points
 
Varsity Eight (NEWMAC Championship)
Smith College (7:07.60) - 12 points
Wellesley College (7:13.97) - 10 points
Mount Holyoke College (7:14.44) - 8 points
Coast Guard Academy (7:19.76) - 6 points
WPI  (7:24.82) - 4 points
Clark University (8:10.16) - 2 points
 
Florence Jope Smith Cup
Smith College - 30 points
Wellesley College - 24 points
Mount Holyoke College - 22 points
Coast Guard Academy - 10 points
WPI - 6 points
Clark University - 2 points
 
 
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
2009 All-NEWMAC Women's Rowing
 
Varsity
 
Athlete                          College                            Cl              Hometown
Kasia Baca                     Clark                                 Sr             Acton, MA
Katy Nowoswiat           Clark                                 Fr             Lowell, MA
Rory Keegan                  Coast Guard                    Sr             Dighton, MA
Sarah Jane Otey            Coast Guard                    So             Littleton, CO
Sarah Gray                    Mount Holyoke               Sr             New Windsor, NY
Mya Steadman             Mount Holyoke               Jr              Pawatuck, CT
Eliza van Lennep           Smith                               Sr             Rindge, NH
Katharine von Herrmann Smith                               So             Piedmont, CA
Cori Snedecor               Wellesley                         Sr             Portola Valley, CA
Gabby Wakeman          Wellesley                         Jr              Saratoga Springs, NY
Steph Kavrakis              WPI                                  Sr             Long Beach, NY
Katie Siering                  WPI                                  Sr             Sheridan, OR
 
Novice
 
Athlete                          College                            Cl              Hometown
Amy Saba                      Clark                                 So             Tewksbury, MA
Kelli Normoyle              Coast Guard                    Fr             Mt. Laurel, NJ
Hannah Blackmer         Mount Holyoke               Fr             Northfield, VT
Robin Spencer               Smith                               Fr             Strafford, VT
Conisha Cooper            Wellesley                         Fr             Glen Ridge, NJ
Vicky Stutz                    WPI                                  Fr             Trumbull, CT