PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's lightweight crew made history Saturday on the Schuylkill River, sweeping the Matthews Trophy and Leonard Cup from Cornell.
 
The Quakers won the Matthews Trophy for the first time since 1990, the fifth-ranked Varsity Eight clocking 5;36.7 over the Schuylkill's 2,000-meter course to defeat Cornell's eighth-ranked boat by nearly five seconds. Penn also won the Second Varsity Eights race to clinch the Leonard Cup, which is given to the team that wins the most Eights races on the day. Cornell beat Penn in the Third Varsity Eights race and the Varsity Fours race.
 
Full Results (row2k.com)
 
Varsity Eight
Penn's 5:36.7 was nearly four seconds ahead of Harvard (5:40.4), which rowed in Saturday's race as a guest. The Crimson were .7 seconds ahead of Cornell (5:41.1) for second.
 
Second Varsity Eight
Penn covered the 2,000-meter course in 5:45.5, which was a little less than three seconds ahead of second-place Harvard (5:48.1) and more than five second ahead of third-place Cornell (5:51.1).
 
Third Varsity Eight
Cornell won this race in 5:49.9, easily beating both second-place Harvard (6:03.5) and third-place Penn (6:04.4)
 
Varsity Four
In a head-to-head race between the Quakers and the Big Red, it was Cornell who cruised to victory as they covered the course in 6:37.5. Penn was timed in 7:04.6.
 
Up Next
Penn will be in Derby, Conn., next Saturday to face Yale and Columbia. The Dodge Cup will be on the line in the Varsity Eights race, and the Colgan Cup will be in play across the day's racing.