Women’s water polo places eighth at Easterns

The GW women’s water polo team struggled at the Eastern Championships last weekend at Bucknell University, winning one of four matches.

The sixth-seeded Colonials (18-13) won their only match of the tourney against 11th-seeded Gannon University 8-4.

On day two, No. 3 Indiana University defeated the Colonials 11-6. Later in the day No. 10 Harvard University defeated GW 5-4, and on the tourney’s final day, GW fell to Bucknell University 5-4.

“We came in as a sixth seed and had to play some very good teams,” head coach Scott Reed said. “We are obviously upset with our performance, but I think they played as well as they could. That’s all I can ask of this team.”

Five Colonials were given season honors Friday night. Seniors Kira Cannon and Vanessa Fravel and sophomore Amy Heiman were named to the All-South first team. Senior Elisabeth Schweitzer and junior Kendra Shanley were named to the All-South second team.

–Joshua Meredith

Women’s rowing finishes fourth at A-10s

The GW women’s crew team placed fourth in the Atlantic 10 Rowing Championships Saturday on the Cooper River in Collingswood, N.J. The Colonials earned a total of 23 points after winning both novice races.

In the novice grand final eight A race, GW edged Massachusetts by 4.8 seconds. In the novice grand final eight B race, the Colonials beat Dayton by 16.5 seconds for the win.

GW also placed second in the first varsity eight grand final, finishing 7.7 seconds behind Massachusetts, and sixth in the second grand final.

“We had pretty good results. We didn’t expect to win the team award because our team is so small,” senior Brynn Kowalski said. “We always strive for first, but I think we raced well.”

Massachusetts earned its ninth consecutive league title by placing first in the quad grand final, the varsity four and the varsity eight. Rhode Island and St. Joseph’s followed in second and third with 33 and 24 points, respectively.

–Heather Struck

Field set for BB&T Classic

George Mason and Michigan State universities will join GW and Maryland in the 10th annual BB&T Classic in December. The Patriots were the final team added, replacing Providence College, which was initially slated as the fourth team, The Washington Post reported.

The GW and Maryland men’s basketball teams play in the tournament every year and usually host two other teams from outside the region, although the addition of George Mason will give the event more local flair next year.

The Patriots, who play in the Colonial Athletic Association, finished with a 23-10 record and made the second round of National Invitational Tournament in 2004.

–Joshua Meredith