The Cavaliers of the University of Virginia showed no mercy forSan Diego State on the water this weekend.
SDSU competed at the Rivanna Reservoir in Virginia for theCavaliers’ season opener.
Unfortunately, even the Aztecs’ best effort this weekend didn’tallow for a win against the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference champions.
Virginia swept the top two varsity eight positions with times of6:49.54 and 6:52.94. SDSU pulled to the finish line at a time of7:24.27.
“It was a good learning experience,” head coach Scott Steckelsaid. “Virginia is very good and they’ve been in the top five eversince the NCAA started running the national championships.”
Although they couldn’t pull off a victory, co-captain Leila Curtissaid that it was a pivotal time for the varsity team.
“I think this weekend was a huge turning point for us,” Curtissaid. “We’ve been battling injury and illness all fall and earlyspring, but I think we just came together as a boat and as a team. Wejust started working together and everything just sort of clicked.”
The novice eight boat seemed to follow in the footsteps of thevarsity team. Again, the Aztecs finished third, rowing past the tapewith a time of 7:34.26. Virginia’s third varsity eight boat finishedfirst crossing at 7:03.96 and their first novice eight boat walkedaway with a time of 7:07.09.
It’s back to the drawing board this week for the Aztecs where theywill look to the challenge of traveling to No. 2-ranked University ofSouthern California Saturday.
“I expect the competition to be pretty tough,” co-captain LaurenMcGirr said about the race at USC. “Again, they are another top teamin the country that we race every year.”
Coming off its most successful season in program history, theTrojans won’t fall to the Aztecs in their season opener without afight. McGirr feels that the Trojans’ strength will come from themany international additions on the team.
“They’re a very strong team, but I think they’re within reach,”Curtis said.
Last year the Trojans won the Jessop Whittier Cup at the San DiegoCrew Classic after they upset nine-time defending champion, andeventual national champions, Washington.
Said Steckel: “I expect us to go up there and give them a run fortheir money.”
