LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Seattle Pacific crews crossed the finish line first in five of six races Saturday in the season-opening dual regatta against Pacific Lutheran on American Lake.

The morning's most convincing victor was the SPU women's varsity eight crew, coxed for the second season by sophomore Annie Mulder. The Falcons' top boat covered the 2,000-meter course in 7-minutes, 26.4-seconds and finished over 30 seconds faster than PLU (7:57.3).

The impressive showing was not surprising as the SPU varsity returns six rowers from the crew that placed third at the 2009 NCAA Championships.

“Definitely the expectations are higher after last season, but I don't think that it is causing any additional stress,” said SPU coach Keith Jefferson. “It's a great group dynamic is why there's not as much stress. There is just a lot of good leadership.

“Everybody's performance is stepping up and up and the depth just increases a little bit each year with people coming back. The expectation is really favorable and isn't causing stress.”

The varsity eight win completed the Falcons' sweep of the three women's races. SPU won the varsity four event in 8:11.7, followed by the Lutes in 8:21.9.

The Falcons' novice four women were impressive in their maiden voyage, racing to a 25-second victory. SPU's winning time was 8:51.7 and PLU was second in 9:17.6.

On the men's side, the Falcons won two of three races. Both wins came in four-oared events.

The Falcons won easily in novice fours despite “catching a crab” near the end of the race. SPU's first-year rowers completed the course in 7:33.9. The Lutes finished 25 seconds back with a time of 7:59.2.

Both schools had two boats competing in the men's varsity four race, each with a heavyweight and lightweight entry. Lightweight crews are limited to an average weight of 155 pounds with no individual rower allowed to be more than 160 pounds. There are no restrictions on heavyweight crews.

The Falcon lightweights staged a good battle with the PLU heavyweights before breaking away for an open-water decision. SPU clocked a winning time of 7:16.7 followed by the Lutes' heavyweights in second (7:21.0) and their lightweights in third (7:24.1). The SPU heavyweight boat, which was comprised of three novices and one varsity rower, had a fourth-place time of 7:36.0.

Many rowers competed in more than one race Saturday, including sophomore David Peterson and senior Carter Swanson, the bow pair from last season's SPU men's varsity four crew. They moved to the stern this season, with Peterson in the stroke seat and Swanson occupying the No. 3 position in the winning lightweight crew. They also served as the stern duo for the men's eight.

SPU novices Dain Carley, Phillip Mach and Wes Plinke were even busier. They each rowed in all three men's races.

“The varsity four was the third race for three of them,” Jefferson said. “That's brutal sending them out for that on the first outing. But the more experience they get the better, is the way I look at it.”

Saturday's lone setback for the Falcons came in a close race. They rarely enter a men's eight-oared crew, focusing instead on the fours. An SPU men's eight made its first appearance in three years and lost by one seat to PLU. The Lutes crossed the line in 6:45.5 and SPU one-tenth later in 6:45.6.

The Falcons fell behind by more than a boat length early in the race, but closed at the end to nearly overtake PLU.

“I'm pleased with how they did in the final stretch there. That shows good heart,” Jefferson said. “Eights are still going to be a secondary category for us. It's one of those things we'll do if we have time for it or if it's not in the schedule at a time that would adversely impact our men's fours races.

“It is nice to have, both from a team-building perspective and also to provide another opportunity for training. As we get into the championship segment we will put our best foot forward and that is in the fours.”

The PLU dual was the first of eight regattas on the 2010 schedule for the Seattle Pacific crews. The season concludes for the men at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships, May 1-2 in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

The final regatta on the women's slate is the NCAA Championships, May 28-30, also on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova. The Falcons seek to make consecutive appearances in the NCAA Regatta for the first time in school history.

Next week, the SPU crews return to American Lake for the annual Daffodil Cup on Saturday, March 27 at 9 a.m. That regatta features numerous collegiate crews from throughout the Northwest, including PLU, Puget Sound, Western Washington and Washington State along with many others.

“They were all totally anticipating this first regatta of the year. We give them a countdown every day at practice telling them how many days are left until the first race,” Jefferson described. “It seems like it takes forever, so they are itching to get at it.

“It's always good too to let them work the bugs out in the first race. It's a really good learning curve and they all had a lot of good things to take away for next weekend on the same course.”


Seattle Pacific-Pacific Lutheran Dual Regatta
Saturday, March 20, 2010
American Lake/Lakewood, Wash.
(all races were 2,000 meters)

Men's Varsity Eight
1, PLU 6:45.5; 2, SPU 6:45.6.

SPU lineup: cox-Jarvin Garcia, stroke-David Peterson, 7-Carter Swanson, 6-Greg Ballard, 5-Donovan Fish, 4-Wes Plinke, 3-Phillip Mach, 2-Dain Carley, bow-Will Kolb.


Men's Varsity Four
1, SPU lightweights 7:16.7; 2, PLU heavyweights 7:21.0; 3, PLU lightweights 7:24.1; 4, SPU heavyweights 7:36.0.

SPU lightweight lineup: cox-Kristi Tamaki, stroke-David Peterson, 3-Carter Swanson, 2-Greg Ballard, bow-Donovan Fisk.

SPU heavyweight lineup: cox-Jarvin Garcia, stroke-Dain Carley, 3-Wes Plinke, 2-Phillip Mach, bow-Will Kolb.


Men's Novice Four
1, SPU 7:33.9; 2, PLU 7:59.2.

SPU lineup: cox-Jarvin Garcia, stroke-Dain Carley, 3-Wes Plinke, 2-Phillip Mach, bow-Matt Norgren.



Women's Varsity Eight
1, SPU 7:26.4; 2, PLU 7:57.3; 3, PLU “B” 8:54.9.

SPU lineup: cox-Annie Mulder, stroke-Katie Degner, 7-Emily Pitts, 6-Katy Stine, 5-Lauren Anderson, 4-Lacey Sheridan, 3-Katja Ibsen, 2-Kristin Lorenzen, bow-Alli Agnew.


Women's Varsity Four
1, SPU 8:11.7; 2, PLU 8:21.9.

SPU lineup: cox-Annie Mulder, stroke-Katy Stine, 3-Emily Pitts, 2-Lacey Sheridan, bow-Kristin Lorenzen.


Women's Novice Four
1, SPU 8:51.7; 2, PLU 9:17.6.

SPU lineup: cox-Missy Spoelstra, stroke-Dani Ferrigno, 3-Sarah Lanter, 2-Belle Fritsch, bow-Mackenzie Oscar.