April 20, 2008
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -
The University of Louisville rowing program closed the two-day Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships at the Melton Lake Rowing Venue by earning a second-place finish in the Novice 8+ `A' Final and a second-place finish in the Novice 4+ `C' Final on Sunday morning.
The Cards' novice 8+ crew completed the 2,000-meter championship course in a time of 7 minutes, 4.24 seconds to earn the silver medal and trail only Grand Valley with a time of 7:01.90. The Cards spent most of the race in third place, but used a late surge to pass Kansas and push the Jayhawks into third with a time of 7:04.90. Alabama was fourth at 7:08.71, followed by Kansas State in fifth at 7:10.20 and Purdue in sixth at 7:16.60.
Louisville advanced to the `A' final in the Novice 8+ event after earning a second place finish in Saturday's heat race with a time of 7:14.97.
The Cards' novice 4+ crew completed the course in a time of 8:40.45 to trail only Purdue with a time of 8:36.90 in the `C' Final. Wake Forest was third at 8:50.45, followed by Tampa in fourth at 8:54.63 and Auburn in fifth at 9:13.04.
U of L advanced to the `C' Final in the Novice 4+ event after earning a fourth-place finish in Saturday's heat race and by winning Saturday's `C' Semifinal.
"This weekend was a great opportunity for our novice squad to get in some top level racing experience," said Cards' novice team head coach Andrea Buch. "It was an excellent preparation heading into the BIG EAST Championships next week."
Up next, the Cards will compete in the BIG EAST Championships on Sunday, April 27 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
SIRA Championships - Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Saturday/Sunday Results
Sunday
Novice 8+ `A' Final
1 Grand Valley 7:01.90
2 LOUISVILLE 7:04.24
3 Kansas 7:04.90
4 Alabama 7:08.71
5 Kansas State 7:10.20
6 Purdue 7:16.60
Novice 4+ `C' Final
1 Purdue 8:36.90
2 LOUISVILLE 8:40.45
3 Wake Forest 8:50.45
4 Tampa 8:54.63
5 Auburn 9:13.04
6 Tennessee (Club) 9:20.73
Saturday
Novice 8+ Heat Race
1 Kansas 7:09.20
2 LOUISVILLE 7:14.97
3 Purdue 7:24.00
4 Tennessee (Varsity) 7:47.91
Novice 4+ Heat Race
1 Tulsa 8:15.80
2 Marietta 8:33.18
3 Clemson 8:41.64
4 LOUISVILLE 8:49.67
5 Purdue 8:50.36
6 Tennessee (Club)
Novice 4+ `C' Semifinal
1 LOUISVILLE 8:47.63
2 Wake Forest 9:06.39
3 Tennessee (Club) 9:22.85
4 NSU-LA 9:24.28
5 Tennessee (Varsity) 9:32.09
6 Ohio 10:17.94
