WV4 places first, MV4 second in head-to-head with Amherst 

HADLEY, Mass. (March 31, 2009) - The Franklin Pierce men's and women's rowing teams opened their spring season with successful runs in a head-to-head match up with Amherst College on the Connecticut River this weekend.

Franklin Pierce's women's varsity four won its race against Amherst, posting a time of 8:21.0 to finish 11-seconds ahead of the Lord Jeffs. Rowing for the Ravens were senior Cassandra Ela (Lancaster, Mass./Nashoba Regional) at stroke, sophomore Brigit Arell (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) in the three-seat, sophomore Mairecait Binienda (Worcester, Mass./Doherty) at two-seat and freshman Lesley Cutting (Glenville, N.Y./Niskayuna) in the bow, with senior Jessica Ward (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee) as the coxswain. Amherst's B-crew posted a time of 8:57, while the Lord Jeffs' novice crew finished in 9:00.

Franklin Pierce's men's varsity four placed second behind the Amherst crew with a time of 7:26.8. Rowing for the Ravens was senior Josh Marker (Lockport, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) at stroke, junior Ian Randall (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) in the three-seat, junior Patrick Brosnan (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greely) in the two seat and junior Brett DiCrescenzo (Haddon Township, N.J./Camden Catholic) at the bow, with junior Alexandra Edwards (Greenville, R.I./Smithfield) as the coxswain. Amherst posted a winning time of 7:09.4, while its B-crew took third in 7:34.8.

Franklin Pierce is back on the water on Saturday when both men's and women's crews race against Clark University, Amherst, Connecticut College and Simmons College on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.