• VIDEO: Matt Edel

SEATTLE -- Seattle Pacific men's crews crossed the finish line first in all three races Saturday morning, sweeping rival Seattle University in the annual Raptor Cup Regatta on the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
 
The Falcons boats cruised to victory in the men's varsity four, lightweight four and novice four races in their only home regatta of the 2014 season. The Redhawks also train on the Ship Canal and Lake Union.
 
"How often do you get a regatta where it is the home course for both crews," said SPU coach Keith Jefferson. "They are a club program, but they are bigger than we are so it was still kind of a little unknown going into it.
 
"Typically we should be ahead of most clubs, so I was pleased to see that. But mostly I was pleased to see better rowing all across the board by our crews."
 
Three boats started, but the men's varsity four event turned into a one-boat race as SPU's top crew went wire-to-wire for a 31-second victory with a time of 6-minutes, 42.52 seconds. The Falcons surged ahead at the start and had an open-water lead by the 250-meter mark. From there, they were rowing by themselves while the Seattle U. and second SPU crews battled.
 
The Redhawks placed second in 7:14.70 followed by the SPU second varsity four in 7:22.46.
 
"The varsity four got nearly a personal record for this year's lineup. They are still aiming towards sub-6:40, so they are right there," Jefferson said. "They weren't pushed that hard. The varsity four knew that that might happen and they were disciplined and stayed right on it."


 
The race for varsity lightweight fours was first on the docket and SPU registered an open-water win. The Falcons completed the 2,000-meter course in 7:07.20 followed by SU in 7:12.01.
 
"We had never raced that lightweight combination before, so that was really awesome how they performed. That was encouraging," Jefferson exclaimed.
 
The regatta's final event was a battle between the SPU novice four-oared crew and two Redhawk boats. The Falcons won convincingly with a time of 7:19.55. The two Seattle U. entries clocked in at 7:38.45 and 8:37.62.
 
Coach Jefferson was happy that his first-year Falcons crew finished strong without having an opponent alongside to push them.
 
"The men's novice four have really been struggling on the last half of a race, just keeping it together. Today they were beautiful, just beautiful."
 
A fourth race took place involving only SPU women's crews. The two best varsity fours squared off in a tight battle.
 
The second varsity, coxed by Rachael Collmer, led for much of the way before being overtaken by the Amy Dominguez-directed varsity crew. The winning time of 7:53.12 provided a three-seat advantage over the second-place mark of 7:54.69.
 
"Our women racing each other was one of the best races I've seen," Jefferson said. "Both of them, for the first time, got below eight minutes."
 
 
NCAA ROWING
Raptor Cup Regatta
(Seattle Pacific vs. Seattle University)
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Lake Washington Ship Canal / Seattle, Wash.
(all races 2,000 meters)
 
Men's Varsity Four
1, SPU, 6:42.52
2, SU, 7:14.70
3, SPU 2V, 7:22.46
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Cielo Prischak, stroke–Daniel Mudge, 3–Matt Edel, 2–David Sowers, bow–Soren Stevenson.
    SPU 2V lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Matt Oclander, 3–Soren Stevenson, 2–Jonah Severn, bow–Jon Casarrubias.
 
 
Men's Varsity Lightweight Four
1, SPU, 7:07.20
2, SU, 7:12.01
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Ben Pierson, 3–Jon Casarrubias, 2–Sam Fiander, bow–Mathew Bowden.
 
 
Men's Novice Four
1, SPU, 7:19.55
2, SU, 7:38.45
3, SU "B", 8:37.62
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Sam Fiander, 3–Jon Casarrubias, 2–Jonah Severn, bow–Mathew Bowden.
 
 
Women's Varsity Four
1, SPU "A", 7:53.12
2, SPU "B", 7:54.69
 
    SPU "A" lineup: cox–Amy Dominguez, stroke–Sarah Grace, 3–Baylee O'Camb, 2–Alexis Krueger, bow–Stefanie Swain.
    SPU "B" lineup: cox–Rachael Collmer, stroke–Paige Ortiz, 3–Serena Carroll, 2–Jarika Tuohima, bow–Emma Bolton.