Rowing 9/29/2012 7:20:00 PM Drake Athletics

Bulldogs Win Three Races at Head of the Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Drake rowing team completed a successful day at the 2012 Head of the Des Moines Regatta held on the Des Moines River.

The Bulldogs competed in five races: club doubles, collegiate doubles, club novice four+, club singles and the collegiate novice eight. The team raced many of the newcomers on this year's roster and it gave most the chance to compete in their first rowing competition.

"We had some really good results today especially from our freshmen," head coach Charlie DiSilvestro said. "Many times this race serves as the first rowing competition for many of the freshmen who didn't row competitively until they came to Drake. Today was perfect weather and water conditions and we had a good turnout to watch us, and I'm happy how things went. We will use this going forward to next week's regatta."

Senior captain Andrea Piekarczyk (Downers Grove, Ill.) and teammate Brianna Leinon (Sussex, Wis.) won the women's collegiate doubles race to highlight the day's performances. Fellow captain and senior Kristina Vann (Batavia, Ill.) and Justine Choe (Morton Grove, Ill.) finished in third place in the race and Wenel Jais-Cross (Bolingbrook, Ill.) and Megan Friel (Minooka, Ill.) took second place to give the Bulldogs the sweep.

Jacque Nowers (Ames, Iowa) (coxswain), Katie Serbin (Hannibal, Mo.), Alex Lueck (West Allis, Wis.), Stephanie Boylan (Greenleaf, Wis.) and Leah Robison (St. Paul, Minn.) won the club novice fours race in time of 21:45.40.

"It felt pretty good to be back on the water and we have done this race every year. It is great it's held on our home course and we know it like the back of our hand," Pierkarczyk commented. "I think it was a good intro for the new people on the team and everyone performed really well."

The Drake rowing team will compete next at the Head of the Mississippi in Minneapolis, Minn. on Sunday, Oct. 7.

Drake Results

Women's Club 2x

Maggie Benhart/Brittany Michael, 2^nd (20:40.07)

Jessica Nightser/ Bailey Berg, 4^th (21:23.72)

Emily Householter/Monica Worsley, 7^th (22:15.64)

Kelsey Leahy/ Sarah Laughlin, 9^th (23:11.85)