Second Varsity Eight Qualifies for NCAA Grand Finals

Saturday, May 28

Sacramento, Calif.

9:30 AM PT

Michigan

NCAA Semis/Repechages

5/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Rowing

Site: Sacramento, Calif. (Lake Natoma)
Event: #12 Michigan at NCAA Championships (Semifinals/Repechage)
U-M Results: First Varsity Eight -- Advanced to Petite Final
   Second Varsity Eight -- Advanced to Grand Final
   First Varsity Four -- Advanced to Petite Final
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 29 -- Petite/Grand Finals at NCAA Championships (Sacramento, Calif.), 10:30 a.m. PDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing placed its second varsity eight crew in the grand final while the first varsity eight and first varsity four reached the petite finals following day two (Saturday, May 28) of the 2005 NCAA Championships. The second varsity eight utilized a great comeback bid to garner second place in its repechage to earn a spot in the grand final. With a fourth-place showing, the first varsity eight missed out on the grand final by one place. The first varsity four's third-place finish also left it one spot short of the grand final. The finals are set for Sunday morning (May 29). Racing will start at 10:30 a.m. PDT.

Michigan's first varsity eight semifinal featured No. 1 California firing out to a half-length lead over the field after just 500 meters. Michigan also trailed No. 6 Tennessee and No. 9 Harvard in fourth. Midway through the race California was still dominating and Harvard was in second. No. 7 Virginia had taken over the all-important third spot with U-M chasing eight seats back. The Maize and Blue sped up in the third portion of the race but continued to fall off Virginia's quickening pace. At the finish line, California crossed in 6:32.62, followed by Harvard (6:38.33) and Virginia (6:40.54) to make up the trio of crews heading to the grand final. U-M (6:45.56) edged out Washington (6:45.73) for fourth place.

Michigan's second varsity eight race was back and forth all the way down the course. Through 500 meters the Maize and Blue held a four-seat lead over USC with Yale, Brown and Princeton all within three-quarters of a boat length. The Wolverines struggled mightily in the second 500 meters as they were passed by the entire field to fall into fifth. Brown was in first with Yale in second, a full length ahead of U-M. Between 1,000 and 1,500 meters Michigan got back into Yale, having trimmed its deficit to about 10 seats. In the final few hundred meters U-M continued its surge and miraculously clipped Yale for second place by one one-hundredth of a second (6:46.86 to 6:46.87). Brown was first in 6:44.68, and by taking second place the Wolverines earned a berth in the grand final while knocking Yale into the petite final.

Needing a top-two finish to reach the grand final, the U-M first varsity four saw California and USC jump out to the early lead. At 500 meters, Cal was in first with USC close behind in second. U-M was almost a full length behind USC with Michigan State sandwiched in between in third. Michigan overtook MSU at the halfway point and made up some time on USC. In the third quarter of the race the Wolverines attacked USC but could not make up the water that they lost in the opening moments of the sprint. Cal (7:24.28) and USC (7:27.26) finished first and second, respectively, to earn spots in the grand final. U-M closed the gap in the last 500 meters to clock in at 7:29.97 but will compete in the petite final.

The finals will take place Sunday morning (May 29). The first varsity four petite final is at 10:30 a.m. PDT. The second varsity eight's grand final is at 11:15 a.m., and the first varsity eight petite final is at 11:45 a.m. To follow the races live, visit hornetsports.com.

RESULTS (Day 2, Semifinals and Repechages)

First Varsity Eight Semifinal 1 1. Princeton* 6:35.77 2. Yale* 6:39.47 3. Ohio State* 6:39.67 4. Brown 6:41.40 5. Stanford 6:47.92 6. Southern Cal 6:52.38 Semifinal 2 1. California* 6:32.62 2. Harvard* 6:38.33 3. Virginia* 6:40.54 4. Michigan 6:45.56 5. Washington 6:45.73 6. Tennessee 6:49.72 * Advanced to First Varsity Eight Grand Final First Varsity Eight (C Final) 1. Michigan State 6:45.98 -- 6 points 2. Wisconsin 6:46.21 -- 3 points 3. UCLA 6:46.54 4. Syracuse 6:57.87 Second Varsity Eight Repechage 1 1. Brown* 6:44.68 2. MICHIGAN* 6:46.86 3. Yale 6:46.87 4. Princeton 6:54.57 5. Southern California 6:59.26 Repechage 2 1. Ohio State* 6:48.79 2. Michigan State* 6:49.03 3. Washington 6:56.24 4. Harvard 6:59.13 5. Wisconsin 7:02.23 * Advanced to Second Varsity Eight Grand Final First Varsity Four Repechage 1 1. Brown* 7:27.21 2. Wisconsin* 7:30.45 3. Yale 7:39.96 4. Ohio State 7:44.37 5. Harvard 7:51.38 Repechage 2 1. California* 7:24.28 2. Southern Cal* 7:27.26 3. MICHIGAN 7:29.97 4. Michigan State 7:32.89 5. Princeton 7:42.29 * Advanced to First Varsity Four Grand Final