BOSTON -- The Bates women's rowing spring season started in style Saturday on the Charles River, with the Bobcats defeating both the NCAA Division I MIT Lightweights and fellow D3 program Simmons in a pair of exciting races.

Led by first-year coxswain Hannah Herbst (Larkspur, Calif.) and senior captain stroke Hannah Burdick (Lyme, N.H.), the Bates women's first varsity eight outraced the Engineers and Simmons with a time of 6:51. It was a tight contest, as MIT crossed the finish line in 6:53.8. The Bates second varsity eight took third in the four-boat race in 7:15.7 and Simmons was last with a time of 8:09.9. 

"They had a terrific battle in cool temps with a firm tailwind on the Charles going blow-for-blow with the lightweights from MIT," Bates head coach Peter Steenstra said. "The V8s from the two schools were never more than a couple seats apart."

In another impressive showing, the Bates women's third varsity eight, led by first-year coxswain Shoshana Levy (Arlington, Va.) and senior stroke Julia Buzacott (Washington, D.C.), outraced the MIT Lightweights second varsity eight thanks to their time of 7:26.4. The MIT 2V crossed the finish line in 7:30.6. Meanwhile, the Bates fourth varsity eight was third in 7:43.4.

"We couldn't ask for a better start to the season," said Steenstra.

The Bates women's rowing team is back in action Sunday when they race the Boston University Lightweights at 8 a.m.

Bates WV8 lineup: Bow: Cal Dagner; 2: Tatum Holley; 3: Isabelle Martin; 4: Olivia Szachta; 5: Quinn Gleason; 6: Maggie Gill; 7: Olivia Smith; Stroke: Hannah Burdick; c: Hannah Herbst

Bates W2V8 lineup: Bow: Hannah de Fontaine; 2: Kiki Hillery; 3: Froney Dreher; 4: Maggie Kornfeind; 5: Megan O'Donnell; 6: Greta Oberdiek; 7: Elizabeth Gramley; Stroke: Rylee Eaton; c: Leah Brody

Bates W3V8 lineup: Bow: Kat O'Connell; 2: Evie Fox; 3: Mackenzie Higgins; 4: Mia Senturk; 5: Arden Minor; 6: Caitlin Regan; 7: Maddie Kemp; Stroke: Julia Buzacott; c: Shoshana Levy

Bates W4V8 lineup: Bow: Ella Westhoff; 2:Taylor Glick; 3: Merrill Doherty; 4: Noa Hart; 5: Eva Calcutt; 6: Charlotte Comrack; 7: Alexa Terry; Stroke: Ella Lisle; c: Sara Maquera