The women’s varsity 8 boat opened up the season on Saturday by edging Lehigh University with a one second win, securing their first victory of the season.
The first full day of spring greeted the Owls with multiple wins as they competed against the Mountain Hawks, the University of Delaware and George Washington University on the Schuylkill River.
In the morning session, the Owls faced Lehigh and Delaware.
Despite a five-second penalty, the second varsity 8 boat surged past Lehigh. Temple was penalized for steering issues. Nevertheless, the Owls won by 7 seconds, in a time of 7 minutes, 4.3 seconds.
With three varsity four boats competing on the river, the Owls out stroked the Mountain Hawks as two of Temple’s boats finished ahead of Lehigh. But Temple’s novice 4 boat fell behind to end in fourth place after the stroke seat broke the rigger at the 1000 meter mark, where they were in third place.
Led by coxswain Victoria Verrekia, the novice 8 boat experienced their first official racing competition of the season. The first year rowers cruised past Delaware in a time of 6 minutes, 57.8 seconds
In the afternoon session, the Owls went head-to-head with George Washington.
George Washington took down three of Temple’s varsity four boats. But the Owls rebounded as all of the team’s varsity 8 boats topped the team from the nation’s capital.
The Owls biggest win came as Temple’s novice eight boat beat George Washington by 14 seconds on the 2000 meter course.
Now the Owls look to cross over to New Jersey as they race on the Cooper River in the Murphy Cup next weekend.
Danielle Nelson can be reached at danielle.nelson@temple.edu or on Twitter @Dan_Nels.
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