Regularly one of Dartmouth's most successful athletic programs yet often overlooked, Dartmouth's sailing squad once again started off in strong fashion in the 2001-02 season.
The team competed in the Penobscott Bay Open Regatta while several of the veterans on the squad were engaged in singles competition at Connecticut College and on Lake Mascoma here in New Hampshire.
In the Regatta's A Division, Dartmouth sent the team of veteran Thalia Pascalides '03, a returning All-American and fellow classmate Amanda Dwelley. The pair started off well with a first and third-place finish before running into tough times in the third race, finishing eight.
The Big Green tandem recovered beautifully with another victory followed by a runner-up placing before closing fifth, fifth and seventh.
They totaled 32 points, good for second place behind the pairing of Joey Mello and Hildreth Penman from the University of Rhode Island. The Ram duo grabbed five second place finished and a pair of race victories to win the A-Division title.
In the B-Division, Dartmouth sent freshman skipper Peter Fleming and veteran Meaghan Gregg '02 into battle. In Fleming's first collegiate race the pair picked up a victory and followed with top four finishes straight down the line except for a fifth place mark in the fourth race.
Trailing URI in the combined standings by 13 coming into the final two races after URI's B-team of Morgan Ponchiu and Kerry Mahoney ran off three consecutive wins, the Big Green came up big with a fourth place finish and a last race win.
The Rams almost collapsed, falling to eighth and then ninth in the final races giving Dartmouth a twelve-point win the B-division.
Unfortunately, the Rams held on to the overall lead by a single point, 51 " 52 leaving the Big Green with a runner-up result. Roger Williams took home third place while Tufts and Boston University rounded out the top five.
In Singles at Connecticut College, Dartmouth's Three-time All-American Team Captain Jen Morgan '02 once again qualified for the single-handed nationals in a light air qualifier.
It will be Morgan's second consecutive trip to the nationals, which this year will be held November 18-21 at Old Dominion University.
Last season Jen's trip to the nationals in Seattle, WA earned her a fifth place finish. Joining Morgan at ODU will be Amanda Clark of Conn. College, Theresa Brooks of the Cost Guard Academy, Brown's Whitney Besse and Harvard's Margret Gill.
On Lake Mascoma, John Diskant '04 added his name to the list of qualifiers for the Men's New England Single-handed Championship at Yale along with 17 others. The top four sailors will become part of the National Championships held at ODU along with the Women's Nationals.
Down at Tufts University in Medford, MA, Dartmouth's pairing of All-American Scott Hogan '04 and Christina Lyndon '04 picked up a second place finish in the A-Division of the Hood Trophy Regatta.
In the B-Division, Dartmouth picked up a fifth place slot with the team of Kevin Horrigan '02 and Amory Loring '04.
This combined to yield a fourth place finish overall in the 18-team intersectional regatta behind host Tufts, St. Mary's of Maryland and BC.
With the season well under way and well in-hand, the Big Green watergoers will have a full slate this coming weekend including the Women's Olympians Trophy and Sloop Invite at URI along with a Team Race at Dartmouth.
