By SEAN BAROWS

Special to GoUSFBulls.com

In only its second regatta of the spring season the USF women's sailing team put forth a solid performance, finishing sixth out of 10 teams in a loaded field at the USF Women's Intersectional in St. Petersburg this weekend.

The field included five nationally ranked squads, including four of the top 10.

The Bulls also had to overcome the absence of two key contributors and wild winds with gusts up to 24 knots that caused several teams to capsize throughout the day.

The team's normal number two starter, senior Rachael Silverstein, sailed in a different regatta and talented freshman Dominique Wright was unable to compete due to a severe ankle sprain that is expected to keep her out for four to six weeks.

Junior transfer Sydney Jones stepped in to fill the void for the Bulls in the B-division and head coach Allison Jolly was very pleased with their sixth place finish.

"I was very happy with the way two of our other crew members helped her (Jones) out," Jolly said. "Colleen Hartman and Stephanie Reynolds did an awesome job helping her out."

In the A-division, junior Abby Featherstone and senior Hillary Noble were in solid position to finish in the top three but struggled during the last quarter of the race and finished fifth.

The Bulls came into the weekend just outside the rankings, receiving 31 votes.

"With this finish we should move into the top 15 in the rankings," Jolly said.

For complete results of the USF Women's Intersectional, click here.

The women's next regatta is scheduled for Feb. 25-26 when they travel north for the Old South hosted by the University of Florida.