Princeton University Athletics
Women?s Lights Conclude Regular Season, Take On Georgetown For 2006 Cup
April 22, 2016 | Women's Rowing - Lightweight
LIVE VIDEO l NATIONAL POLL l CLASS OF 2006 CUP HISTORY
Freshman Madelynn Prendergast exemplifies everything that head coach Paul Rassam believed this season would be. It is about growth, development and competition, and both believe they saw all three of those two weeks ago at the Knecht Cup.
Rassam split his boats into a set of fours and sent them into various competitions. Several members of his varsity eight — including Prendergast — went into an open fours event and more than held their own. That Tiger boat was one of two to leave Mercer Lake with a medal.
“It was great to see teams that we normally would not be up against,” Prendergast said. “It gave us a chance to go into the race with no expectations, allowing us to focus in on how our boat felt rather than worrying about what was going on in the other boats. It was exciting to see that we were speedy in the mix of teams, and a great confidence boost as the season rounds out into some of our most important races.”
The medal also kicked off the second half of the season, which continues this Saturday morning when Princeton races Georgetown for the Class of 2006 Cup.
“It was a great way to kick off the last homestretch,” Prendergast said. “We are all about positive mindset, so had we not done as well we would have taken it with a grain of salt; but it is great to have a solid race experience in mind as we train for Sprints.”
Princeton has won all 13 meetings with Georgetown in this series, including a victory of nearly 20 seconds last year on the Potomac. Only two spots separate the two in the latest national poll, though, so a victory over the Hoyas would build upon the confidence that Princeton was able to gain last weekend.
Of course, confidence is only a piece of the puzzle as the Tigers move closer to the EAWRC Sprints, held next weekend at Lake Quinsigamond. Princeton knows it needs to continue building greater speed if it plans to upset the likes of Boston University, Radcliffe and Wisconsin, and the Tigers have dedicated the last two weeks towards that effort.
“We really buckled down on perfecting our form and making every stroke count,” Prendergast said. “Now that Sprints are around the corner, off strokes aren't an option. We also honed in more on our sprint (a fitting focus for Sprints prep), which was complimented by our focus on form.”
SATURDAY ORDER OF RACING
Lightweight Women vs. Georgetown
9:00 • Second Varsity
9:15 • First Varsity - Class of 2006 Cup
Open Women vs. Penn & Dartmouth & Bucknell
9:30 • Third Varsity
9:45 • C Four
10:05 • B Four
10:25 • A Four
10:40 • Second Varsity
10:55 • First Varsity - Class of 1984 Plaque
Lightweight Men vs. Penn & Georgetown
11:10 • Fourth, Fifth & Sixth Varsity
11:25 • Third Varsity
11:40 • Second Varsity
11:55 • First Varsity - Wood-Hammond Trophy