The Tribune

GOLD RIVER, California — The nationally-ranked Ithaca College women’s crew team, featuring Bahamian Emily Morley, wrapped up its season on Saturday as the Bombers placed sixth overall in the varsity eight grand final at the NCAA Division III Rowing Championship on Lake Natoma. 

Wellesley earned the gold medal while Williams secured silver and Wesleyan (Conn.) took home bronze.

The Bombers, who entered the Championship as the fourth ranked team in the latest CRCA national poll, earned one of only two at-large bids into the field and made the most of their opportunity after qualifying for the grand final. 

The grand final was comprised of the top two finishers from each heat along with the top two boats from Friday afternoon’s repechage.   

As the race got underway, all six boats were closely grouped together through 500 metres of action.  As the race wore on, however, Wellesley, which began in the second lane, began to grow its lead en route to a first place finish. 

The Bombers, who occupied the sixth lane, found themselves a half boat’s length out of fifth place, but would be unable to jump the fifth place finisher from Pacific Lutheran.

The top three finishers were decided by less than two seconds with Wellesley setting the winning pace in 6:46.100. Williams followed in second at 6:47.405 while Wesleyan came in at 6:47.824. Bates was fourth and crossed the finish line in 6:50.996 and Pacific Lutheran was clocked at 6:56.763.  Ithaca, which was crewed by Melina Keene (coxswain), Jacqueline MeDevitt, Libby Burns, Jennie Peterson, Emily Morley, Emily Vosburg, Colby D’Onofrio, Karina Feitner and Krista Syracuse, finished the race in 7:01.460.

On Friday, Ithaca, which made its 15th appearance in the NCAA Championship, finished in third place in its respective heat and a earned a spot in the repechage after crossing the finish line with a time of 6:56.481. 

Ithaca finished ahead of William Smith (7:11.990).  Williams won the heat and advanced to the grand final with a time of 6:41.729 while Wesleyan, which, along with Ithaca, received an at-large bid into the field, claimed second and a spot in the grand final after completing the race in 6:46.552.

The repechage, which featured Ithaca, William Smith, Washington College and Pacific Lutheran, allowed each crew a second opportunity to qualify for the grand final with the top two boats advancing.  The Bombers, which rowed in lane one, finished second to Pacific Lutheran with a time of 7:14.294, which was less than three seconds of the winning pace.

One of the most storied rowing programmes across all divisions, Ithaca’s finish adds to its already impressive championship pedigree as the Bombers have finished in the top four nine times, including back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005, both of which came close by in Sacramento, California.

The Bombers’ varsity 8 boat has enjoyed tremendous success throughout the 2015-16 season culminating in a first place finish at the Dad Vail Regatta on May 14 after crossing the finish line nearly 10 seconds ahead of the field with a time of 7:11.92.

In all, Ithaca’s varsity eight boat earned six top finishes during its spring schedule and would go on to earn a state championship when it beat five other boats by at least three seconds at the New York State Championships in Saratoga Springs April 30.  One week later, the Bombers would qualify for the grand final at the National Invitational Rowing Championship in Worcester, Mass. and shaved nearly four seconds off their finishing time from their qualifying heat.