Lights, JVs Breeze

The Radcliffe lightweight four defeated Yale's third varsity four by 21 seconds. The Black and White's second priority boat--which is preparing for the May 11 Eastern Sprints--raised its record to 7-0.

"We had a new stroke in the boat," oarswoman Anne O'Brien said. "It felt really smooth.

"We bettered our time by 10 seconds," O'Brien added, referring to last weekend's home race. The four averaged 36 strokes per minute Saturday, two strokes better than its rate on the Charles.

Radcliffe's heavyweight four also rowed in the same race, but finished behind the Bulldogs.

The lightweight eights took on Yale's JV. The Black and White fell to the bigger Elis by about four seconds.

"We did well, even though we lost," lightweight rower Allison Pugh said. "Each race is better than the last."

JV Heavies

"It was a sweet victory," Radcliffe heavyweight JV coxswam Leigh Weiss said after her boat demolished host Yale in the same race by nine seconds Saturday.

The race between the two top-rated and undefeated boats in the East turned out to be unexpectedly one-sided.

"We were very nervous going into the race," explained bow Christina Erickson. "But everybody, on every stroke, really focused on rowing. We were consistent, and we just kept moving up."

The Black and White ends its regular season undefeated and uncontested as the number one JV boat in the East.

"We were expecting Yale to be our toughest match of the year," said Weiss. "Our time differentials have consistently been only a few seconds apart."

The undefeated Black and White will now have two weeks to prepare for the Eastern Sprint Championships. At the Sprints, Radcliffe will be shooting for a berth in Nationals, which will be held later this spring in Cincinnati.