GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The No. 3 Nova Southeastern rowing team completed its final day of competition before the Grand Final in the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship May 28 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif.

The Varsity 8 competed first in their repechage at 1:30 p.m. ET in what turned out to be a close and exciting race.

Manning the Varsity 8 was coxswain Elizabeth Tortorici (Fr., Winter Park, Fla.), Alyssa O'Donnell (Jr., Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Lauren Boudreau (So., Waterford, N.Y.), Jessica Sutter (Jr., Miami Beach, Fla.), Abigail Schiavo (Fr., Northfield, N.J.), Catherine Plesko (Fr., Brandon, Fla.), Claire Kurlychek (Jr., Land O'Lakes, Fla.), Taylor Van Horn (Fr., Cape Coral, Fla.) and Mallorie Reinecke (Jr., Buffalo, N.Y.).

The Sharks captured second-place with a time of 7:16.6, only 5 seconds off the lead advancing them to the Grand Final tomorrow May 28, at 12:35 p.m. ET.

NSU jumped off to a great start maintaining the lead until the 1000-meter mark in which they came upon choppier than normal waters. No. 4 Humboldt State made its move at that point to claim a four-seat lead.

The Sharks battled back to regain the lead but Humboldt State maintained its distance to the finish. The The Sharks’ second place-finish advanced them to the Grand Final tomorrow May 28, at 12:35 p.m. ET.

Competing in the Sharks second repechage at 1:45 PM ET was the Varsity 4 of coxswain Marissa Stickles (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.), Heather Higbee (So., Ocean View, N.J.), Elizabeth Hurley (Sr., Fort Mill, S.C.), Emma Jordan (Jr., Sebastian, Fla.) and Kayla Wieseckel (Jr., Roswell, Ga.).

The Varsity 4 rowed a very clean race but unfortunately was unable to match the speed of No. 4 Humboldt State, giving them a second-place finish with a time of 8;29.6, 24.6 seconds off the lead.

The second-place finish will exclude the Sharks from the Varsity 4 Grand Final on Sunday.

The 2011 NCAA National Championship will have live video provided by NCAA.com.

Highlights of the Divisions I, II and III Women’s Rowing Championships will appear on the 2011 CBS Sports Presents Championships of the NCAA (spring seasonal show), set to air at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 19 on CBS.

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