WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Bates women's second varsity eight took home a gold medal and the Bates women's rowing team won the points title Saturday at the New England Rowing Championship, highlighting an exciting day of racing for the Bobcats.

The Bates women scored 83.82 points as a team, good for first out of 25 schools and more than four points ahead of runner-up Wellesley. Meanwhile, the Bates men took seventh out of 21 schools with 45.67 points. The women and men combined for 129.49 points overall, fourth out of 28 programs. 

"I am really happy with how the crews performed today," head coach Peter Steenstra said. "A lot of growth was displayed. The men's team worked through the adversity of all new lineups due to an injury in the first varsity eight and the women's team finished the day with four medals and the women's team points trophy!" 

The day started at 8:30am with the women's second varsity four taking to the water on Lake Quinsigamond. Led by senior coxswain Hannah Braslau (Chelmsford, Mass.) and junior stroke Emily Everett (Fair Haven, N.J.), the Bobcats raced to the finish in 7:57.360, second in their heat behind only Division I program Rhode Island. The Bobcats advanced to the grand final in the early afternoon where they once again placed second to Rhode Island, this time in 7:45.410, earning a silver medal.

The men's third varsity eight followed with a third-place showing in their heat, crossing the line in 6:15.310 and advancing to the grand final, where the Bobcats finished sixth in 6:18.870. 

More medals followed for the Bates women, as the Bobcats showed off their depth with the third varsity eight taking second in both their heat and the grand final. Led by junior coxswain Olivia Seline (Delaware, Ohio) and sophomore stroke Miryam Keller (Cape Elizabeth, Maine), the 3V raced to the finish in 7:03.670, just behind Wellesley, as the Blue crossed the line in 7:03.610. The Bobcats got them back in the afternoon though, recording a time of 7:01.080, four seconds ahead of the defending NCAA champions. Tufts won the grand final in 7:00.150 and the Bobcats took home their second silver medal of the day.

In a very fast heat, the men's second varsity eight finished fourth Saturday morning in 6:03.360. The Bobcats moved to the petite final and did some damage there, winning in 6:03.610.

In the performance of the day, the women's second varsity eight made a big statement. Led by senior coxswain Isabella Sobolewski (Washington, D.C.) and junior stroke Genesis Bussey (Bronx, N.Y.), the Bobcats won their heat in 6:51.820, clobbering runner-up (and NCAA Division I program) MIT by four seconds. Then in the grand final, Bates faced stiff competition from the likes of Wellesley, Wesleyan, and Tufts, but the Bobcats prevailed in 6:44.890. The Blue edged Wesleyan for second with a time of 6:47.160. The Cardinals crossed the finish line in 6:47.170.

For the first time all year, due to injury, the men's first varsity eight had a different look. The Bobcats were able to advance to the grand final with a second-place finish in their heat, racing to the finish in 5:55.020. The Bobcats then took sixth in the grand final, crossing the line in 5:57.850.

Rounding out the racing for the day, the women's first varsity eight nearly beat an inspired Tufts team in their heat, recording a time of 6:42.660. The Jumbos got the better of the Bobcats, barely, in 6:42.160.

That wasn't the case in the grand final later in the afternoon. Led by junior coxswain Lucy Del Col (Wellesley, Mass.) and senior captain stroke Casey Winter (Malvern, Pa.), the Bobcats raced to the finish in 6:46.850, about six seconds faster than Tufts. Overall, the Bobcats took third in the grand final, behind just NCAA Division I program MIT (6:38.040) and defending NCAA Division III champion Wellesley (6:41.500), earning a bronze medal, the fourth medal of the day for Bates.

The Bobcats are back in action this Friday at the National Invitational Rowing Championship, which will also determine the NESCAC champion. 

Bates WV8 lineup: Bow: Darya Lee; 2: Hannah Burdick; 3: Josephine Stevens; 4: Molly Connors; 5: Livia Bernhardt; 6: Katarina Dickson; 7: Eliana Weissmann; Stroke: Casey Winter; c: Lucy Del Col

Bates W2V8 lineup: Bow: Hannah de Fontaine; 2: Hope Stamp; 3: Ollie Young; 4: Olivia Szachta; 5: Lauren Cockrill; 6: Quinn Gleason; 7: Lydia Barker; Stroke: Genesis Bussey; c: Isabella Sobolewski

Bates W3V8 lineup: Bow: Elizabeth Gramley; 2: Dominique Bunnell; 3: Eloise Botka; 4: Maggie Kornfeind; 5: Isabelle Martin; 6: Abigail Somosky; 7: Olivia Smith; Stroke: Miryam Keller; c: Olivia Seline

Bates W2V4 lineup: Bow: Madeline Kemp; 2: Tatum Holley; 3: Claire Scott; 4: Emily Everett; c: Hannah Braslau

Bates MV8 lineup: Bow: Benjamin MacDonald; 2: Sean Christiansen; 3: Oliver Firmenich; 4: Isaac Levinger; 5: Luke Desmaison; 6: William Siebert; 7: Charlie Berman; Stroke: George Fauver; c: Aidan Braithwaite

Bates M2V8 lineup: Bow: Riley Young; 2: Conor McGuckin; 3: Samuel Marchman; 4: Charles Renvyle; 5: Andrew Frey; 6: Benjamin Auerbach; 7: Kelly McKaige; Stroke: Ian Van Loo; c: Isabel Beck

Bates M3V8 lineup: Bow: Alwin Ma; 2: Saunders Thompson; 3: Leo Sullivan; 4: William Conway; 5: Micah Johnson; 6: Jack Stephenson; 7: Jimmy Staller; Stroke: Wiley Anderson; c: Micah Shimizu