The stakes ran high for the women’s rowing team at the
Pac-10 Championships this weekend, with UCLA vying for a bid to the
NCAAs. Competing against such national powerhouses as California
and Washington State, the No. 12 Bruins finished with disappointing
results at the meet in Rancho Cordova.
During the final event of the day, UCLA’s Varsity Eight
boat finished in a disappointing last place with a time of 6
minutes, 43.75 seconds.
“We struggled through the whole piece,” coach Amy
Fuller Kearney said.
Out in the far lane, the Bruins trailed from the beginning and
never caught up to their contenders.
“We didn’t attack at the start,” Fuller
Kearney said. “We were kind of out of it. Hopefully we get
another chance at NCAAs to improve our start, and if not, then
hopefully we go into next season having learned from this
experience.”
Fuller Kearney attributed her team’s inconsistency to
inexperience ““ the program is only in its fourth year as a
varsity sport.
“There’s a whole other level you have to reach in
finals, and that’s where our youth suffered,” Fuller
Kearney said.
UCLA’s Second Varsity Eight boat was so dominant it looked
like it was from an entirely different program. The boat held No. 1
positioning the entire first half, falling behind to Cal in the
last 500 meters.
The 6:42.11 finish was a big win for UCLA, as it moved up from
fifth to second place.
“We had some good races today and we had some bad races
today,” Fuller Kearney said.
With a time of 7:45.07, the Varsity Four boat placed fifth, just
ahead of Oregon State. UCLA’s Novice Eight boat did not
qualify for the grand finals.
The top 12 teams will receive bids to the NCAA Championships,
which will be held the last weekend of May. The results will be
announced sometime on Tuesday.
Receiving a team bid would be a first for UCLA.
Now, as all the conference championships come to an end, the
Bruins remain uncertain of their season’s fate. At practice
Tuesday morning, the team will continue practicing as though
preparing for NCAA Championships.