Redwood Shores, CA (March 22) - The Loyola Marymount University crew program continued its impressive showing with a dominating performance by the women's varsity 8 team and improved performances by the varsity men and JV women at the 2004 West Coast Conference Challenge on March 20-21 in Redwood Shores, Calif.

The women's varsity 8 team continued to improve their time on the season in an effort to stake claim as the team to beat in the WCC. They made a huge stride toward making that claim as they swept all four head-to-head races against WCC foes, including defending champion Gonzaga.

In the first two races on Saturday, March 20, the women's varsity 8 earned wins over Santa Clara and Saint Mary's. Against the Broncos, the Lions finished in a time of 6:55.8 compared to SCU's 7:27.5. In the second race, LMU finished in a time of 6:55.0 to edge Saint Mary's by nearly 45 seconds.

The second day featured the match-up against the WCC's top teams as the Lions were on a mission to post the fastest times of the season. "Saturday's races we really came out strong and went off to a big lead and pulled back a little," said head coach Patrick Kelly. "On Sunday we were racing for time. We wanted to create an atmosphere that was similar to what needs to be done to qualify for the NCAAs."

While racing for time, the Lions posted the quickest times of any WCC school during the challenge. In the first race on Sunday they defeated Portland by nearly a minute, posting the fastest time of the weekend, 6:36.1. The quick time set-up a showdown with Gonzaga in the final race of the day.

The Lions came out quick and held the pace to post a time of 6:38.5, defeating the Zags by nearly 10 seconds. Gonzaga finished in a time of 6:47.4.With the four wins, the Lions are now 6-0 in head-to-head competitions.

The women's varsity 8 team was comprised of Blake Boyer (coxswain), Caitlin McClain, Kathryn Holzberger, Lot Keijzer, Beth Henderson, Angela Tanner, Naomi Hoogesteger, Erin Ludwig and Sarah Daum. In the race against Saint Mary's Angela Tanner raced for Beth Henderson in the five seat.

The men's varsity 8 also had an impressive showing in the WCC Challenge as they went 2-2 in the head-to-head competitions. They started the challenge with a time of 6:22.3, falling to Santa Clara's time of 6:14.2. However, they responded with a win, posting a time of 6:23.5 to defeat Saint Mary's, who finished in a time of 6:27.7.

In the second day the men's varsity 8 started with a win over Portland, thanks to a time of 6:25.1. Portland finished in 6:47.5. In the final race, the Lions finished in a time of 6:16.2, their fastest of the Challenge. However, the fell to Gonzaga, who finished in 6:02.0. Rowing for the men's varsity 8 team this weekend was Ellie Goldsmith (coxswain), Adam Baker, Jason Lake, Warren Anderson, Brannon Wynn, Scott Henderson, JP Voisinet, Jim Puccetti and Tim Santy. Freshman Kevin Druffel-Rodriguez rowed for Jim Puccetti in the two seat for the race against Portland on Sunday.

The Lions also entered teams in the women's JV8 against San Diego on Saturday and in the Varsity 8 Lights against Stanford on Sunday. In the JV8 race, the Lions defeated the Toreros with a time of 7:04.6. USD finished in a time of 7:15.4. Making up the team for the JV8 was Julia Paradiso (coxswain), Amy Lauber, Liz Stewart, Courtney Cox, Kristin Lumm, Erin Ludwig, Beth Henderson, Sylvia Olvera and Ashlee Pierce.

The Varsity Lights team finished behind Stanford, who finished in 6:57.1, with a time of 7:08.8.

The Lions women's team will take on UCLA at Ballona Creek on Saturday, March 27 in three races - Varsity 4, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 8.

- GO LIONS -