CHESTERTOWN, Md. - The Catholic University women's rowing team began its spring season on Saturday at the Washington College Invitational.

The AM heats started with slack tide building to a following tide and a 13 mph quartering tailwind building to 18mph. The finals had a following tide and increasing wind and gusts. White caps increased as racing progressed.

Competing against Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference (MARC) rivals Washington College, St. Mary's (Md.) and Franklin & Marshall College, as well as six others, the Cardinals' varsity eight finished fifth with a time of 7:35.60. St. Mary's captured first as it crossed the line in 6:56.60.

Catholic's second varsity eight placed second with a time of 7:46.08, just behind Bryn Mawr who finished first in 7:44.60.

The Cardinals' varsity four completed the course in a time of 8:36.82 to finish second.

Catholic returns to action on Saturday, April 9 at the Knecht Cup on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Boatings

Varsity Eight: Libby Hodgkins (coxswain), Meg Higgins (8), Christine Faber (7), Norah Fitzsimmons (6), Sophia Lawrence (5), Libby Dobrzynski (4), Maevis Fahey (3), Glynn Bradley (2), Hannah Martin (1)

Second Varsity Eight: Katie Chmielewski (coxswain), Abigail Tremblay (8), Dani de Castro (7), Marguerite Collette (6), Madeleine Kiesewetter (5), Julia Szmyt (4), Tierney Pegg (3), Haley Jackson (2), Mackenzie Cart (1)

Varsity Four: Katherine Hourani (coxswain), Abby Ryan (4), Phoebe Farris (3), Sydney Blasi (2), Kailen May (1)