SHREWSBURY, Mass. - The Simmons College women's crew team scored 12 points to place fourth in the Florence Jope Smith Cup standings at the New England Womens' and Men's Athletic Conference Women's Rowing Championships, hosted by Clark University this morning on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury, Mass.
The Sharks' 3V8, placed fourth with a mark of 7:13.5, while Worcester Polytechnic Institute won the race with a mark of 6:27.8. The Simmons shell was powered by first year Alexa Frongillo (Franklin, Mass.) in the stroke seat, followed by sophomore Mellyssa de Paiva (Várzea Grande, Brazil) and first year Elizabeth Rea-Wilson (Concord, Mass.), junior Fernanda Tapia (Edinburg, Texas) and first years Natalie Moore (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Kait Fierlit (Hamden, Conn.), Wren Tenore (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and bow Sophie Ulyatt (Edgartown, Mass.) with classmate Emily Alpert (Marlboro, Mass.) guiding the way from the coxswain seat.
Simmons second Varsity Eight placed fourth with a mark of 7:41.8, while Wellesley College's crew topped the field with a time of 7:03.3. Simmons eight oarswomen were first year bow Karina Bercan (Derry, N.H.), juniors Abi Smith (Brookline, Mass.), Rachel Corning (Ipswich, Mass.), junior Jess Randolph (Concord, N.C.), first years Eleanor Pullan (Northampton, Mass.), Michelle Crosier (Shrewsbury, Mass.), senior Eva Weber (Guilford, Conn.) and first year stroke Erica Bartle (Arlington, Mass.) with first year coxswain Clarice Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) verbally setting the pace.
The Sharks' final race of the day came from the 1V8, which finished fifth behind a time of 7:14.6, finishing just behind the United States Coast Guard Academy (7:11.8) and WPI (7:07.0). The Simmons top eight was comprised of junior bow Jill Bolduc (Methuen, Mass.), followed by senior Laura Matt (Fairfax Station, Va.), first year Erin Lilienthal (East Lyme, Conn.), senior Nicole Poirier (Wayland, Mass.), junior Sophie Stone (Greenland, N.H.), first years Ronnie Bennett (Pottstown, Pa.),Phoebe Knox (Scituate, Mass.) and junior Chelsea Foster (Avon, Conn.) in the stroke seat in front of sophomore coxswain Olivia Smiaroski (Northfield, Mass.).
Simmons will compete again on Saturday, May 2 when it returns to Lake Quinsigamond to compete at the New England Championships.