Women’s Rowing freshman coxswain Loren Coontz (Rootstown, Ohio/Southeast) piloted the varsity 4+ shell to Knecht Cup gold last week on the 2,000-meter Mercer Lake course. The Pioneers blew away the field in the morning heats winning by more than 14 seconds over the second place crew. With only three weeks experience on the water, Coontz executed the perfect race plan as Marietta took the gold medal by less than four seconds. Marietta’s complete varsity 4+ lineup included Coontz, Mandi Medykowski at stroke, Marissa Jeswald, Payton Wright and Shelbi Westfield in the bow.