W. Crew edges Navy, Georgetown

The Quakers retained possession of the Class of '91 Plate by sweeping the Mids and the Hoyas. The Navy women's crew team hasn't held the Class of '91 Plate -- the prize awarded to the winner of each Penn-Navy race -- for a decade now. On Saturday, the Penn women's crew team completed a sweep of all its races against Navy and Georgetown to retain the plate and, in the process, to jumpstart its spring season, thereby continuing a tradition that predates anyone-- including the coaches-- on the team. "Penn traditionally beats Navy," Penn freshman Claire Manske said. "Historically speaking, to win this weekend shows that we are just as good as the teams of the past." To the team, the victory provided strong evidence that they are physically and mentally ready for the challenges of the season that lay ahead, including reaching the NCAA Championships in May. "All the training [during the fall and winter] is certainly paying off, but we still have room for improvement. As a team, we are already looking forward to getting closer to NCAAs," Penn co-captain Kealy O'Connor said. Perhaps most encouraging was the fact that all of the crews seemed to have effectively mentally prepared themselves. "We had a really professional approach to this weekend," junior Ursula Ahrens said. "We went in with a race plan and not only executed it, but executed it well." Penn coach Barb Kirch was most impressed by the synchronicity of her rowers, which led to the solid margins of victory, ranging from four seconds for second varsity to more than 12 seconds for first varsity. "[Going into the regatta] I wanted them to find their own rhythms, and they obviously did," Kirch said. "The margin of victory was important for us as a team." Racing at home may have provided a competitive edge for the Quakers, especially since the racing conditions were less than ideal with choppy water caused by a difficult tail wind. "It was really to our advantage to know the water. There were rough waters, but we knew what to expect in terms of the course," Manske said. In addition, the fans provided a home base of support that helped fuel the Quakers. "We had people follow us down on bikes [during the race], cheering us on. It made for a great atmosphere," O'Connor said. However, the Quakers know that they must continue to work to improve as a team if their season is to continue as successfully as it has started. "We can muscle through races, but we're going to have to race well on top of just being physically strong," Manske said. The team is already looking forward to this weekend's regatta against Ivy rivals Yale and Columbia on the Harlem River. "It's nice to have won the first race of the season, but we're looking to the future. Each race is a new race, so we have to keep on our toes," Ahrens said. Penn has only beaten Yale three times in the past 20 years, but on top of heading into competition with two consecutive first-place finishes dating back to the fall, the Quakers defeated the Elis last year to bring home the Connell Cup for the first time in nine years. "This weekend was great because it gets us pumped up for the upcoming races this weekend [at Columbia], which are really important in terms of the season," O'Connor said. Despite having to already think past their victory over Navy, knowing that the Class of '91 Plate is still in Quakers territory for another year won't be forgotten any time soon.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.