CAMDEN, N.J. — The Marietta College women's rowing program pieced together its best racing of the season Saturday (April 11) at the 2009 Knecht Cup on the Cooper River. The Knecht Cup is a 50-school competition, which featured crews from all over the country. [Results]

Head Coach Kelly Harris' squad competed in two final-only, Division III events on Saturday. The Pioneers raced two shells in the Varsity 4+ and one in the Varsity 8+.

Marietta's Varsity 8+, which featured freshman stroke Kelli Barnette (Parkersburg, W.Va./South) (Parkersburg, W.Va./South), freshman Elizabeth Bratton (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Basil Academy) (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Basil Academy), senior Amanda Chuderewicz (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area) (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area), junior Caitlin Piotrowski (Dublin/Dublin Jerome) (Dublin/Dublin Jerome), sophomore Katherine Thomas (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel Area) (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel Area), sophomore Megan Stuhlfauth (Hainsport, N.J./Merion Mercy Academy) (Hainesport, N.J./Merion Mercy Academy), senior Krista Tkacz (Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.) (Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.), sophomore bow Miki Abitante (Columbia, Md./Atholton) (Columbia, Md./Atholton) and junior coxswain Lauren Talasnik (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest), went head-to-head against some of its region's top competitors and came away with a third place finish. The Pioneers, who placed fifth in the event a year ago, were first off the line and held a slim lead over the first 200 meters. Washington College eventually worked its way to the front and crossed the line in 7:35.6 to clinch the win. The University of Mary Washington placed second after covering the course in 7:38.5, while Marietta finished third with a time of 7:45.4.

Earlier in the day, the Pioneers divided into two Varsity 4+ shells and rowed to a first and fifth place finish in that event. Stroke Barnette, Bratton, Chuderewicz, bow Piotrowski and coxswain Talasnik got off to a quick start and cruised to the victory after crossing the line in 9:01.0. Sophomore stroke Brooke Exley (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area) (Phoenixville, Pa.), Stuhlfauth, sophomore Michelle Tarracciano (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union) (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union), freshman bow Jessica Amato (Shelby/Shelby) (Shelby) and freshman coxswain Sara McDaniel (Laura/Milton-Union) (Laura/Milton-Union) placed fifth in the race with a time of 10:02.1.

The Pioneers are back in action next weekend (April 18-19) when they compete at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship in Oak Ridge, Tenn.