Courtesy: Princeton Athletic Communications The second-ranked lightweight women defeated Bucknell in the 2009 home finale.

The second-ranked Princeton women's lightweight crew made its 2009 home finale a successful one, topping the sixth-ranked Bucknell Bison by more than 21 seconds in the first varsity showdown.

On a rainy morning on Lake Carnegie, which had a strong headwind and heavy chop at times, Princeton won its fourth straight race by finishing in 7:52.0, while the 2007 national champion Bucknell Bison placed second in 8:13.4. The victory sets up a tough stretch of regattas for the Tigers, who will face the third-, fourth- and fifth-ranked teams in the country over the next two weeks. The Tigers will race Georgetown and Stanford next weekend for The Class of 2006 Cup before heading to Boston to race for The Class of 1999 Cup against Harvard.

The second varsity four finished in 9:09.0, which was good enough to split against a pair of Bucknell open four boats.