The UW crews are again tasked with defending their home waters this Saturday; this time against Oregon State, who boasts the No.15 overall men’s rowing team, according to the US Rowing Men’s Collegiate Poll. The Huskies last met Oregon State in the San Diego Crew Classic last week, when the Husky men’s junior varsity and freshmen boats beat Oregon State’s boats in the finals.

“We expect [Oregon State] to be very tough,” assistant coach Ben Fletcher said. “We expect our guys to race well and recover well.”

Sophomore Simon Taylor also expects a hard-fought race from Oregon State.

“They’re a Pac-10 school and they have a strong rowing program. They’re a strong team and we’re not going to take them lightly,” Taylor said.

The UW women’s rowing team looks to get back to form after a difficult loss to Washington State last weekend.

“I certainly didn’t think that the varsity performed up to their potential last weekend. I hope that they do a better job coming close to that this weekend,” women’s coach Bob Ernst said.

The Oregon State women’s boats will be tough competition. They beat Columbia and put up tough efforts against No. 3 Virginia and No. 8 Michigan State in the Virginia Triple Dual last weekend.

“They’re to be reckoned with,” Ernst said. “Well, we certainly are trying to be more consistent than we have been in the last couple of weeks. That’s the number one priority.”

The races are set to start at 9 a.m. this Saturday, with the Oregon State men’s junior varsity taking on two UW boats. The varsity men’s race is set for 9:50 a.m., and the varsity women’s race is set to take place at 10 a.m. The regatta will finish with four Husky boats taking on the Oregon State women’s second novice boat at 10:30 a.m.

[Reach reporter Zach Ruby at sports@thedaily.washington.edu]