The women's rowing team kicked off its season Saturday with a smooth win over North Carolina, racing eight- and four-person boats for the two 4500 meter courses at Lake Michie in Bahama, N.C.
In the Varsity Eight race, both of Duke's A and B boats finished before UNC's A boat. The B boat finished the close race in 15:08 with the A boat right behind at 15:10. North Carolina's A boat came in at 15:23.
Duke head coach Robyn Horner was pleased with the depth of the team.
"It was exciting to see our top two boats so close together in speed," Horner said. "This will create a practice environment where we're able to go out each day and push each other."
The B boat contained senior Sara Miller, junior Natalie Zervas, sophomores Tonia Boock, Lauren Winslow, Corbin Dunlap, Leah Frank-Finney and Sarah Shapiro--as coxswain--and freshmen Alissa Van Arnam and Emma Darling. The A boat consisted of senior coxswain Amanda Adam and classmate Mae Joyce Gay, juniors Kareen Murray, Missy Buckmiller and Christine Lauro, sophomores Kim Bailey and Lauren Case, and freshmen Kirsta Harryman and Amber Straight.
While Duke dominated the Varsity Eight race, Horner felt that the Varsity Four race better showcased the team's hard work.
"Based on the race times, we were definitely more effective in the fours than we were in the eights, which isn't surprising since we've spent the last month working in pairs and fours," Horner said.
In the Varsity Four race, the Blue Devils were able to finish three boats before any North Carolina shells. The Duke B boat captured the win with a time of 16:50, with the A boat right behind at 16:52. Duke D rounded out the top three with a time of 17:02. The UNC B boat was the next to finish with a time of 17:12, followed by UNC A at 17:18.
Senior Mae Joyce Gay, junior coxswain Kareen Murray and junior Christine Lauro, sophomore Lauren Case, and freshman Krista Harryman raced the B boat. In the A boat, Duke had seniors Amanda Adam and Missy Buckmiller, sophomores Kim Bailey and Sarah Shapiro (coxswain), and freshman Amber Straight.
Saturday's race was the first for the Blue Devils without three-time All-American Joanna Hingle, who graduated last spring and was recently named as one of ten finalists for the 2003 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
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