PITTSBURGH, Pa. —  After three weeks of training, the 2009-10 Marietta College women's rowing season officially opened when the Pioneers competed at the Head of the Ohio Saturday (Oct. 3) afternoon. Marietta had two boats race in the 2.6 mile event, which was cut short due to high winds late in the day. [Results]

Marietta's Varsity 8 (/)+ went head-to-head with 13 other crews in an Open 8+ event on Saturday. The Pioneers, who sat coxswain Lauren Talasnik (Mays Landing, N.J., Oakcrest), stroke Kelli Barnette (Parkersburg, W.Va., South), Elizabeth Bratton (Philadelphia, Pa., St. Basil Academy), Katelyn Hilderbrand (Pittsburgh, Pa., North Allegheny), Bridget Dean (Rochester, Minn., Mayo), Alexandra Cathcart (Wilmington, Del., St. Mark's), Jessica Amato (Shelby, Shelby), Christina Beltran-Revilla (Pittsburgh, Pa., Fox Chapel Area) and bow Alyse McNeill (Pittsburgh, Pa., Shaler Area), crossed the line in 16:04.10 and finished seventh. Three Rivers Rowing Association won the event with a time of 15:16.42, while Duquesne University took second with a time of 5:31.96 and West Virginia University placed third with a time of 15:35.14.

The Pioneers' Freshmen/Novice 8+, which featured all novice rowers, also got its first taste of competition when the shell went up against a boat from John Carroll University. Coxswain Amey Fink (Pittsburgh, Pa., Baldwin), stroke Ariel Stadden (Cleveland, James F. Rhodes), Angela Hackenburg (Bellevue, Bellevue), Trisha Wendel (Chagrin Falls, Kenston), Natalie Gravelsins (Eastlake, Eastlake North), Kelly Moses (Lyndhurst, Brush), Sheena Hu (China), Abigail Klicker (Avalon Borough, Pa., Northgate) and bow Sarah Auld (Bexley, Columbus School for Girls) won the race after crossing the line in 20:36.30. The Blue Streaks trailed in 21:41.68.

Marietta is back in action on Sunday (Oct. 11) afternoon when the Pioneers compete at the Head of the Genesee in Rochester, N.Y.