LAKEWOOD, Wash. - The six-time defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University women's rowing team turned in its best race of the weekend on Sunday, shaving off eight seconds from the previous day and placing second at the Lamberth Cup on American Lake.

PLU varsity eight crew of Corrie Grieves, Allison Sheflo, Julia Gonzalez-Wolf, Mara Clay, Carleigh Templin, Maggie Nieberger, Julez Johnson, Beth Hawes, and coxswain Jessie Dougherty navigated the 2,000-meter course in seven minutes, 45.66 seconds, an eight second improvement over yesterday's showing at the Logger Invitational. Boathouse rival University of Puget Sound won the race, clocking a time of 7:37.22 and snapping the Lutes' streak of five straight Lamberth Cup victories.

Sunday was the 45th running of the Lamberth Cup, an annual regatta between the two programs in Tacoma. PLU enjoys a 28-17 edge in the series that dates back to 1977.

The Lutes have the rest of the month off, returning to the water on April 1 for day one of the San Diego Crew Classic in southern California.