CAMDEN, N.J. - The Mercyhurst University women's rowing team opened its spring portion of the 2014-15 season on Saturday with a dominating performance at the 33rd Memorial Murphy Cup Regatta in Camden, New Jersey.

The Lakers won the gold in convincing fashion in the Varsity II/III 8+ event after winning their heat by just over 43 seconds and winning the final by more than 12 seconds.

With freshman Margaret Kneuer in the coxswain seat, Mercyhurst won its heat with a time of 7:08.08 while Franklin and Marshall crossed the line in second place with a time of 7:51.30. The other Division II boat in the race, Philadelphia, ranked eighth in the country, crossed in 7:54.06, while Richard Stockton finished in 8:52.82.

The Lakers, ranked fifth in the country, advanced to the finals and won the gold medal with a time of 6:54.02, more than a dozen seconds ahead of second-place Bates College (7:06.46). Phialdelphia's "A" boat came in third with a time of 7:11.23. Hamilton, Franklin and Marshall, and Philadelphia "B" rounded out the bottom three in the finals.

Mercyhurst also entered a second boat in the regatta, one that competed in the Junior Varsity 8+ event.

The JV boat, coxed by freshman Chelsea Guida, did not make it out of its heat after finishing fifth out of its six-team race. The Lakers crossed the finish line in 8:06.36, well behind the top four teams from Rutgers (7:23.69), Drexel (7:25.78), Connecticut (7:28.24), and Lehigh (7:43.09). Mercyhurst finished more than 35 seconds ahead of sixth-place Pittsburgh (8:41.99) in the heat.

Mercyhurst will travel to Lake Mercer, New Jersey on April 11 and 12 to compete in the Knecht Cup.

Mercyhurst Lineups

Women's Collegiate Varsity 8+ DII / DIII
C: Margaret Kneuer
S: Florentine Baron
7: Hanna Schumacher
6: Kristine Wright
5: Leyla Dombrowski
4: Abigail Rinard
3: Maggie Switzer
2: Leah Griffin
B: Kate Castonguay

Women's Collegiate JV8+
C: Chelsea Guida
S: Elizabeth Hook
7: Alexandra Kleckner
6: Taylor Rider
5: Alexis Theuret
4: Kristen Kuniak
3: Mackenzie Elliott
2: Mairead Manke
B: Katarzyna Walentynowicz