GOLD RIVER, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots finished in fourth place at the 2016 West Coast Conference Rowing Championships, which took place on Saturday morning at the CSUS on Lake Natoma. Portland seniors Maggie Keller and Molly Templin were both named to the All-WCC Team.
 
The Pilots finished in a tie with Saint Mary's with 22 points each, but since Portland's varsity eight finished ahead of the Gaels, the tie-breaker goes to UP.
 
"The highlight of the day was the varsity eight's finish, which matches the best finish we've had in our history," Portland head coach Pasha Spencer said. "The varsity eight's performance helped us improve by one spot overall from last year's championships."
 
The Pilots entered the final race of the day, the varsity eight, needing at least a fourth-place finish or better in order to secure fourth overall. The Pilots then covered the 2,000 meter course in a time of 6:56.9, which was seven seconds faster than the Gaels.
 
Portland just missed a third-place finish in the WCC's signature event, crossing the finish line only seconds behind LMU, which would have given the Pilots third overall at the championships. The Pilots were ahead of the Lions at the 1,000 meter mark.
 
San Diego won the day's first two official events, the varsity four and the second eight, but Gonzaga topped the Toreros to win the varsity eight, giving the Bulldogs their second straight WCC title. Both USD and GU totaled 39 points, but the Bulldogs won the tie-breaker.
 
Portland's second four began the morning by finishing in third place during the exhibition race before the official competition began.
 
UP's varsity four was up next and the crew jumped out to a fast start, settling into third place behind the leaders San Diego and Gonzaga. But Saint Mary's was able to pass the Pilots, and the Gaels edged the crew in purple by just two seats at the finish line.
 
The Pilots finished fourth with a time of 7:53.9, which was the four's fastest time this year and was easily ahead of Creighton and Loyola Marymount. The San Diego Toreros were first with a time of 7:18.9, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs were in second place, 10 seconds back.
 
The Toreros and Bulldogs finished 1-2 in the second eight race as well, with San Diego surging into a comfortable lead before the Bulldogs came storming back. USD held on at the finish line to top the Bulldogs by about two seconds. The fifth-place Pilots claimed a time of 7:21.2, which was better than Creighton and Santa Clara.
 
"We are moving forward with 17 freshmen and sophomores, who gained new perspective and race experience today," added Spencer.
 
Portland's line-ups on Saturday morning featured just seven upperclassmen, including Keller and Templin, who both earned their first conference honor.
 
2016 West Coast Conference Rowing Championship
Final Team Totals
1. Gonzaga - 39 Points*
2. San Diego - 39 Points*
3. Loyola Marymount - 27 Points
4. Portland - 22 Points*
5. Saint Mary's - 22 Points*
6. Creighton - 13 Points
7. Santa Clara - 5 Points
*Gonzaga, Portland win tiebreakers due to placements in the I Eight Race
 
WCC Championship Official Results
Varsity Eight
1. Gonzaga - 6:25.8
(Cox: Karly Dougherty, Kara Soucek, Igrid Stanserry, Meghan McCallum, Devyn Bell, Lauren English, Brooklyn Beeler, Olivia Marsh, Lindsey English)
 
2. San Diego - 6:29.4
(Cox: Karlie Wittenberg, Susie Taylor, Avalon Koenig, Meredith Hoggatt, Megan Goodman, Uche Anyanwu, Jane Bird, Vada Thomas, Megan McNamara)
 
3. Loyola Marymount - 6:51.7
(Cox: Ciara Campbell, Ruth Morris, Mireia Ros, Briar Murphy, Kristel Tohu, Louisa Del Valle, Kim Ehntholt, Claire Bahain, Clara Brackbill)
 
4. Portland - 6:56.9
(Cox: Kelsey Kincaid, Maggie Keller, Megan Delpozzi, Molly Templin, Bridget Sloat, Lauren Reid, Veronica Nicacio, Brianne Zyblicki, Melanie Martinell)
 
5. Saint Mary's – 7:03.2
(Cox: Emma Bangs, Alexis McGuire, Kimberly Delen-Briones, Brianna Pero, Abbie McGill, Julianne Greco, Emily Weible, Beatrice McGinnis, Hannah Grunbaum)
 
6. Creighton - 7:10.0
(Cox: Hannah Wysopal, Sarah Birnbaum, Miranda Lonsdale, Madeline Eyer, Whitney Coriolan, Caitlyn Ward, Mackenzie Hatcher, Isabelle Buhr, Anna Cheek)
 
7. Santa Clara - 7:19.7
(Cox: Hollynd Boyden, Katie Bond, Kelby Nardoni, Molly Walker, Hope McGowan, Katie Malueg, Mikael Stovarsky, Malyna Sanchez, Jiana Serpa)
 
Second Eight
1. San Diego - 6:40.9
(Cox: Emma Gasperoni, McKenna Wray, Jenny Serluco, Maya Krah, Ivay Aandal, Elizabeth Bader, Morgan Lester, Rachel Kincaid, Adele Likin)
 
2. Gonzaga - 6:42.8
(Cox: Hailey Rousseau, Micailah Donner, Lily Rorick, Hannah Schneiderman, Maddie Turbes, Anna Johnson, Madeline Verspieren, Isabelle Belzil, Hannah Brown)
 
3. Loyola Marymount - 7:05.9
(Cox: Kaitlyn Cheung, Alexandria Bauer, Ann Shoen, Tamara Jovanovic, Julie Pinamont, Madison Hodgkins, Masury Lynch, Marie Bliss, Ashley Brown)
 
4. Saint Mary's - 7:10.0
(Cox: Kylie Aberle, Sabrina Felix, Ashley Godoy, Kimberly Clark, Sophia Almada, Alexandra Spanos, Cara Filce, Bailey Minardi, Rachel Rowland)
 
5. Portland - 7:21.2
(Cox: Miranda Reyes, Hannah Burns, Lindsey Atterbury, Megan Medalia, Sydne Jacoby, Maddie Goodwin, Elizabeth Ankeney, Acacia Wellsford, Lauren Jesse)
 
6. Creighton – 7:27.4
(Cox: Michelle Frisbie, Louisa Karam, Lauren Brendal, Liz Lowery, Grace Rauh, Sarah Stephani, Magdalene Engler, Danielle Carbonaro, Alyssa Freitas)
 
7. Santa Clara – 7:55.6
(Cox: Maddy Angevine, Cannon Passano, Emily Stewart, Tanja Jeremaz, Gabby Tordillos, Daryl Fallon, Caitlin Lyons, Cominique Dold, Leah Senatro)
 
Varsity Four
1. San Diego - 7:18.9
(Cox: Rachel Michel, Bryn Gilbert, Kathleen Petrich, Hannah Saddler, Kelly Hulsing)
 
2. Gonzaga – 7:28.2
(Cox: Megan Dennison, Casey Harder, Cameron McDermott, Georgia Davey, Clare Manthey)
 
3. Saint Mary's - 7:51.5
(Cox: Megan Pineda, Torie Dawson, Paige Smith, Shannon Youmans, Kelsey Dunne)
 
4. Portland - 7:53.9
(Cox: Kristen Garcia, Celina Perez, Lily Kristjanson, Maddy Bettinger-Lobash, Oliva Sanchez)
 
5. Creighton - 8:01.4
(Cox: Angela Rigo, Jessica Courtney, McKinley Wilson, Marguerite Barran, Samantha Erickson)
 
6. Loyola Marymount - 8:09.8
(Cox: Nicole Fong, Emily Harris, Monica Weaser, Sofia Abrate, Annie Shane)
 
2016 West Coast Conference Women's Rowing Major Awards
WCC Newcomer of the Year: Lauren English, Gonzaga
WCC Coxswain of the Year: Karly Dougherty, Gonzaga
WCC Rower of the Year: Kara Soucek, Gonzaga
WCC Coach of the Year: Glenn Putyrae, Gonzaga
 
2016 All-West Coast Conference Women's Rowing Team
Creighton: Sarah Birnbaum, Madeline Eyer
Gonzaga: Kara Soucek, Devyn Bell, Brooklyn Beeler, Ingrid Stansberry
Loyola Marymount: Ruth Morris, Mireia Ros
Portland: Molly Templin, Maggie Keller
Saint Mary's: Brianna Pero, Alexis McGuire
San Diego: Avalon Koenig, Megan McNamara, Uche Anyanwu
Santa Clara: Molly Walker, Katie Bond