University of Tennessee Athletics
UT Rowing Finishes Sixth Overall at Lake Natoma Invitational
April 19, 2009 | Rowing
April 19, 2009
Complete Results in PDF Format 
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - The University of Tennessee women's rowing team claimed 10 points on the final day of the Lake Natoma Invitational in Rancho Cordova, Calif., including a victory in the second varsity eight B final to finish third in group two and sixth overall. The Lady Vols topped Minnesota and UCLA to claim the 2V8+ B final win.
"We appreciate the opportunity we had to be involved in such a well-constructed event," UT Head Coach Lisa Glenn said. "Cal athletics and (Golden Bears Head Coach) Dave O'Neill did a fantastic job of making the event productive and positive for everyone."
Following an eventful Saturday that saw the Orange and White notch four second-place finishes, the final day of the event kicked off with the varsity four finals. After accumulating 21 points on day one, UT competed in the B finals, facing off against the Golden Gophers and Bruins in each event. In the V4+, Minnesota got off to a fast start and held on for the victory after opening up open water on both UCLA and Tennessee by the halfway mark. The Lady Vol shell picked up one point in the event, crossing the line third in 8:03.28.
The second eights took to the water next, as the Orange and White shell earned UT's first win of the weekend. The Lady Vols took hold of the lead in the first 500 meters, pushing ahead of the Golden Gopher shell by just two seconds. At the halfway point, the Tennessee crew had gained another second on Minnesota and held an eight-second advantage over UCLA. Over the final 1,000 meters UT held on, crossing the line in 6:46.90, followed seven seconds later by the Golden Gophers and the Bruins six ticks after Minnesota. The win gave the Orange and White six points, bringing its Sunday total to seven.
The final event of the day for Tennessee was the varsity eight B final. Though the 19th-ranked Bruin shell claimed the victory, and the tie-breaker over Minnesota, the Lady Vol crew battled with the No. 20 Golden Gophers to the finish line. The Bruins took an early lead in the first 500 meters, while UT and Minnesota duked it out for second, coming across the halfway point in a dead heat. The Golden Gophers, however, made a strong push over the final 1,000 meters, edging in front of Tennessee by two seconds at the 1,500 meter mark and crossing the line with a four-second advantage. The Lady Vols completed the course in 6:40.93, its fastest V8+ time of the weekend.
"Certainly, our team gathered more much needed information this weekend," Glenn said. "However, the fact is that we are not yet where we need to be."
With eight wins in nine races during the event, Cal claimed the Lake Natoma Invitational title with 16 points on Sunday after topping No. 2 Stanford in the varsity eight A final. The Cardinal claimed the runner up spot, while Wisconsin rounded out the top three. With the V8+ victory, UCLA took fourth overall, followed by Minnesota and Tennessee in fifth and sixth, respectively. Group three saw co-host Sacramento State claim seventh after beating out Texas and UCF in the V8+ to break a three-way tie.
"This week will be a big one for us, as we adjust and push forward through our last road trip," Glenn said. "There is no doubt in my mind that this team can evolve. The reality of the situation is simply this: every other team out there can evolve also, and that evolution is revealed between the starting line and the finish line."
The Lady Vols continue on the road next weekend with yet another tough competition, as they make their first-ever appearance at the Charles River Challenge in Boston, Mass., on April 25-26. The event will feature Gonzaga, 2008 varsity eight national champion Yale and its top-ranked V8+ shell, as well as USC and Virginia, which also boast top-20 varsity eight crews.
| WV4, Group #2 Final | |||
| PLACE | TEAM | TIME | POINTS |
| 1 | Minnesota | 7.31.06 | 3 |
| 2 | UCLA | 7.42.76 | 2 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 8.03.28 | 1 |
| W2V8, Group #2 Final | |||
| PLACE | TEAM | TIME | POINTS |
| 1 | Tennessee | 6.46.90 | 6 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 6.53.08 | 4 |
| 3 | UCLA | 6.59.81 | 2 |
| WV8, Group #2 Final | |||
| PLACE | TEAM | TIME | POINTS |
| 1 | UCLA | 6.33.90 | 9 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 6.36.41 | 6 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 6.40.93 | 3 |
