MALDEN, Mass. - The Simmons College crew team's Second Varsity Eight defeated Trinity College's (Conn.) 2V8 by 39 seconds to highlight a day of head-to-head racing on the Malden River in Malden, Mass. this morning. The Sharks also took on host Tufts University and United States Coast Guard Academy.
Simmons 2V8 turned in a time of 8:01 over the 2,000-meter course to outdistance Trinity's second unit, who crossed the line at 8:40. The Sharks were a mix of primarily sophomores and newcomers and led by sophomore stroke Eleanor Pullan (Northampton, Mass.), setting the pace for her crewmates. The seventh seat belonged to first year Hannah Dike (Leominster, Mass.), followed by sophomore Kellie Cann (Needham, Mass.), junior Elizabeth Rea-Wilson (Concord, Mass.), first year Emily Saunders (Hebron, Conn.), first year Rebecca Ramsey (Jefferson, Mass.), first year Brianna Patterson (Pelham, N.H.) and sophomore Captain Nicole Lee (North Reading, Mass.) in the bow seat. The crew was directed by junior coxswain Clarice Johnson (Norwell, Mass.).
The 2V8 was defeated by host Tufts, which saw all of its shells go undefeated for the day. The Jumbos posted a mark of 7:57 to the Sharks' 8:11.
Simmons' One Varsity Eight was narrowly beaten by nationally-ranked #13 Trinity with the Bantams coming in at 7:39 to the Sharks' 7:44. Junior Ronnie Bennett (Pottstown, Pa.) set the pace in the stroke seat for Simmons, followed by classmate Phoebe Knox (Scituate, Mass.), first year Kate Krawczuk (Harrisburg, Pa.), sophomore Madison Summers (Hudson, N.H.), junior Captain Alexa Frongillo (Franklin, Mass.), first year Sabrina Belozerova (Newton, Mass.), first year Olivia Hamilton (Sunapee, N.H.) and senior Karina Bercan (Derry, N.H.) in the bow spot. First year coxswain Ally Fecteau (Burlington, Conn.) made her debut on the 1V8.
The 1V8 finished with a time of 7:59 to finish behind Coast Guard's winning time of 7:47.
The Sharks saw its Third Varsity Eight turn in a time of 8:29 to finish behind the Tufts contingent's time of 8:11. Sophomore Christine Yu (Plainville, Mass.) took over the shell's stroke seat ahead of first years Sarah Walsh (Holbrook, Mass.), Peizhu Pam Qian (Beijing, China), Kyetesie Heller (Sharon, Mass.), Lily Pennington (Watertown, Mass.), Jess Rush (Marion, Mass.), Lauren Martin (Pittsfield, N.H.) and Sarah MacEachen (Hollis, N.H.) in the bow position. Junior Captain Kaitlin Fierlit (Hamden, Conn.) called the commands for the unit.
Simmons returns to the water tomorrow at the Clark Invitational on Lake Quinsigamond at 9:00 a.m.