CHERRY HILL, N.J. – The top-ranked Mercyhurst College women’s varsity eight claimed first-place in its heat at the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships and will advance to the grand final on Sunday, May 31 at 9:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, the Lakers varsity four will battle through the repechage round on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. after taking fourth in their heat in a time of 8:28.29. The top two boats from the repechage advance to the final on Sunday at 9 a.m. where they will square off against Nova Southeastern, winners of the opening heat(8:14.45).
In the eights race, Mercyhurst owned open water for most of the race before putting it on cruise and outlasting a surge from Seattle Pacific in the final 500 meters to cross the line in 7:01.16, just a little over a second ahead of the second-place mark of 7:02.35.
The Lakers will take on four-time defending champion Western Washington, winner of the varsity eight Heat 2, and the top two finishers from Saturday’s repechage round in Sunday’s grand final. Mercyhurst has defeated all of the national qualifiers this season except for Western Washington, with the Lakers and the Vikings meeting for the first time this year.
Mercyhurst looks to claim the program’s second national championship and first since 2004.
To view the official results, please click
here.
The Lakers varsity four nears the finish of its heat at the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships.
The Lakers No. 1 women's varsity eight edges Seattle Pacific in its heat at the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships.
Head coach Adrian Spracklen instructs members of the varsity eight before its heat.
The Lakers varsity eight huddles before its first race of the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships.
Members of the varsity eight wait to cheer on the varsity four in the final 500 meters.