April 4, 2011
PRINCETON, N.J. - This past Saturday, the No. 4 Georgetown lightweight men's crew began its spring campaign, taking on the No. 1, defending National Champion Princeton, along with perennial guest, Columbia. The Hoyas and Tigers first varsity crews competed for the Fosburgh Cup, donated by Georgetown alumni in honor of Whit Fosburgh, former Head Coach of the Georgetown Lightweight Crew from 1988 to 1998.
Princeton won the varsity race by 3.7 seconds over the Hoyas, who rowed 2-3 beats lower than their rivals to the north. Columbia finished third.
"I thought our crew extracted good utility out of the work we've been doing, and showed they are able to hang with Princeton, without assembling a peak performance," Head Coach Evans Liolin said. "The Princeton coaches and crews are smart strategists, so all credit goes to them. I was equally impressed with the tenacity of the Columbia crews, particularly their varsity. Coach Alwin is a class act on the water, and off."
Georgetown co-captain Bill Houston (Haddon Heights, NJ, St. Josephs Prep) gave further insight.
"After a shaky first racing start of the year, we settled into a good base that only grew stronger as the race wore on," Houston said. "We definitely accomplished what we set out to do, rowed our own race with authority, and did not allow another crew or conditions to dictate our movements. I'm particularly proud of the way our five sophomores responded to the challenge of their first varsity eight dual. There's a ton of room for improvement, and our group has really bought into our system."
The Princeton junior varsity and both freshman crews also put together their first two-kilometer races to date. All three crews showed strengths upon which they'll build in the coming weeks.
"Everyone is right where they ought to be and we're looking forward to more tough racing in the coming weeks," commented Freshman Coach Ken Dreyfuss.
The Hoya Lightweights travel north again this weekend to face Yale and MIT on the Housatonic River in Derby, Conn on Saturday. On Sunday, the Hoyas take on the Harvard Crimson, racing them in a dual race format, on Carnegie Lake in Princeton, NJ.
