DELAND, Fla. -- The Drake University rowing team opened the spring season against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents Jacksonville and Stetson on Lake Beresford Saturday (March 19). 

The Bulldogs began with a second place finish in the first varsity 8 race. The boat (Sarah Sutton, Taylor Fausey, Kiernan Blanchard, Lindsay York, Hailey Hovland, Maddie Smith, Noam Wasik, Amanda Pereira and Maggie Poltrock) was only 5.5 seconds behind Stetson for first place. 

Drake came in third during the second varsity 8 race as Jacksonville won with a time of 7:05.7, 35.8 seconds ahead of Drake's boat of Emily Zozokos, Alex Whyte, Sara Wilson, Lizzie Rader, Rachel Weiss, Abby Crupi, Lisette Villalba Torres, Mary Jones and Annika Fredeen). 

The first varsity four race was a fantastic competition with the Bulldogs (Meghan Faria, Alana Rater, Zoe Zillgitt, Sophie Grizzle and Bella Wolfe) just 1.2 seconds away from Stetson's second place time. Jacksonville won the event with a time of 8:06.8. 

Jacksonville and Drake (Savannah Smith, Sophie Grizzle, Cayden Anderson, Molly Hohner, Zoe Zillgitt, Ilse Fredrickson, Beatrice Kearns, Jenna Smyth and Bella Wolfe) went head-to-head in the third varsity 8 as the Dolphins won with a final time of 7:43.2. 

Bulldog rowing will compete next against Saint Mary's and Creighton in Omaha, Neb., April 2. 

Lineups