ORLANDO – The UCF rowing team opened its 2021 season with a clean sweep of Jacksonville and Stetson on Lake Pickett Saturday morning.
Windy conditions made the water a bit choppy, but the Knights handled it will. UCF's Varsity Eight, consisting of Elena Esteban, Julie Poulsen, Leslie Lajoie, Amy Van Ryn, Emily Puia, Mia Cleary, Charlotte Wiley, Luci Derrick and Abbie Pritchard started the day off with a victory. The crew crossed the line in 6:36.07 for the win.
The Knights went one-two in the Second Varsity Eight race. The first boat across was Kennedy Keith, Georgia Coyne, Lauryn Bench, Emma Leavens, Annberlee Hothem, Tegan Fookes, Emily Klysen, Martina Pischedda and Lindsey Buckreis. They took the top honors in 6:44.43.
The second 2V8 boat, consisting of Lauren Roman, Maria Yim, Emily Eastwood, Rusne Dziugyte, Michaela Gundrum, Seyene Oord, Kinley Zink, Connery Cassidy and Tatum Cox, finished in 6:50.72.
The Varsity Four cruised to an open water win. The squad, consisting of Kenzie Harrod, Aenea Keren, Rachel Dunford, Jillian Lawrenson and Aryann Johnson, posted a winning time of 7:39.31.
UCF's Third Varsity Eight kept the victories stacking up as the crew of Sofia Soria, Kirstan Menello, Kayla Evers, Maura Shiner, Peyton Hood, Martyna Wasilewska, Aubrie Russo, Saskia Papsova and Chiara Ciullo took the top spot in 7:13.94.
The clean sweep was completed by the Fourth Varsity Eight. UCF's boat of Mackenzie Walton, McKenna Williams, Lexi Wilson, Joelle Huttmann, Lindsey Evans, Jennifer Finch, Gabby Kahn, Baylee Slone and Julianne Souza, finished in 7:13.55 for the win.
Next up, the Knights head to Virginia for the UVA Invite March 26-27.
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