Lady Pioneers post two third place finishes at Challenge Cup
Women's rowing to host Marietta Invitational on Saturday

March 24, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — The Marietta College women's rowing program battled Purdue University and Drake University at the 52nd annual Marietta/Purdue Challenge Cup Saturday (March 24) afternoon at Eagle Creek Park, the site of the 1994 World Championships.

There was question early in the morning whether or not racing would even take place as heavy rains had sent debris flowing down stream. Eventually, the decision was made to go ahead with the competition, and Drake swept the event, which featured a Varsity Eight and Varsity Four race. Purdue took second, while Marietta placed third in both races.

Marietta's Varsity Eight, which included sophomore Krista Tkacz (Egg Harbor, N.J.) at bow, junior Meredith Hay (Berwick, ME/Marshwood) in seat two, freshman Colleen Aitken (Concord, N.H.) in seat three, freshman Angela Sefcik (Garfield Heights) in seat four, freshman Katherine Racy (Lakewood) in seat five, sophomore Brittany Durand (Danielson, Conn./Pomfret School) in seat six, freshman Lindsay Barton (Swarthmore, Pa./Archbishop Prendengast) in seat seven, Amy Epling (Parkersburg, W.Va.) at stroke and junior Saira Khan (Galloway Township, N.J./Absegami) at coxswain, finished its race in 7:20.4. Drake crossed the line in 6:22.7, while Purdue finished in 6:25.6.

The Pioneers' Varsity Four, which included sophomore Anjouli Dapice (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) at bow, junior Meg Foraker (New Lexington/Culver Academy) in seat two, Caitlin Piotrowski (Dublin/Dublin Jerome) in seat three, junior Kim Becker (Egg Harbor, N.J.) at stroke and freshman Lauren Talasnik (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) at coxswain, crossed the line in its race with a time of 7:06.9, behind Drake (6:47.4) and Purdue (7:00.4).

Marietta is back in action Saturday (March 31), when it hosts its own Invitational, which is expected to draw six men's and four women's teams to the Muskingum River. It will be the 12th time that the Pioneers have hosted the event, which was not held in 2006.