March 13, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - The Old Dominion women's rowing team is on their way back from its Spring Training Trip in Texas. The Lady Monarchs took on both Creighton and Texas during the break in scrimmage racing.
"Overall it was a great trip, with great racing," said head coach Dan Garbutt. "It was a good way to gauge our speed from our workouts over the winter. Our team got some great experience and I was pretty pleased with our results."
The Lady Monarchs' varsity 4 took on Creighton on Wednesday, racing the Bluejays three times over 1000 meters. In the boat for ODU were Shelby Favre, Kelly McHale, Kiersten Stephens, Heather Leach, and Ashley Payne at coxswain.
"All three Monarch boats were successful on all three races," noted Garbutt.
On Friday morning, ODU's varsity 8's were in action, testing their speed against an experienced Longhorns squad in a pair of four minute races and a pair of three minute races. The Lady Monarchs' top varsity 8 boat of Abby Voss, Callie Roadcap, Jennifer Easterling, Laurel Bransfield, Paige Madison, Liz Hess, Maeghan Pardy, Heather Earle, and Allison Giegerich at coxswain took on Texas' top two 8 boats. Meanwhile ODU's second varsity 8 boat of Chelsea Trice, Marie Gately, Alissa Williams, Catherine Merendino, Lindsey Garnett, Mary Kent, Nicole Meyer, Meredith Laverdure, Lindsey Garnett, Mary Kent, Nicole Meyer, and Olivia Pryor at coxswain, took on the Longhorns' third varsity 8.
"All our boats demonstrated consistent improvement throughout," said Garbutt. "On the final pieces of the workout, ODU's second varsity boat had contact with the Longhorns' third 8 and ODU's bow touched out Texas' top two 8's. Texas' won the Head of the Hooch in the Fall, so this was great for out team. "
Later in the afternoon, the frosh 4 boat competed against a pair of Texas' Freshman/Novice shells where the Lady Monarchs finished ahead of the Longhorns' B boat and had contact with the Texas A boat over the distance. In the shell for the Lady Monarchs were Chelsea Trice, Paige Madison, Alissa Williams, Catherine Merendino, and Olivia Pryor at coxswain.
The Lady Monarchs now return home to gear up for the spring portion of its schedule which will feature the official opening of the ODU Rowing Center, a race with Miami at home on the Lafayette River, the Knecht Cup, Bucknell, Colgate, as well as the CAA Championships and the Dad Vail Regatta.
1st Varsity 8:
Allison Giegerich (Coxswain), Abby Voss, Callie Roadcap, Jennifer Easterling, Laurel Bransfield, Paige Madison, Elizabeth Hess, Maeghan Pardy, Heather Earle
2nd Varsity 8:BOlivia Pryor (Coxswain), Chelsea Trice, Marie Gately, Alissa Williams, Catie Merendino, Lindsey Garnett, Mary Kent, Nicole Meyer, Meredith Laverdure, Lindsey Garnett, Mary Kent, Nicole Meyer
Varsity 4:
Ashley Payne (Coxwain), Shelby Favre, Kelly McHale, Kiersten Stephens, Heather Leach
1st Frosh 4:
Olivia Pryor (Coxswain), Chelsea Trice, Paige Madison, Alissa Williams, Catherine Merendino