WEST WINDSOR, N.J. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF rowing team raced twice on Lake Mercer at the NCAA Championships on Friday.
The three boats opened the day in their respective heats before racing in the repechage.
The Varsity Eight started the day with a fifth place finish in the opening heat. The squad, consisting of Olivia Hecimovich, Ashleigh Boyd, Claudia Destefani, Julie Poulsen, Lauren Aiello, Zana Krakic, Marija Medelinskaite, Viktorija Senkute and Mia Cleary, crossed the line in 6:40.505.
In the Second Varsity Eight, UCF finished fifth in the fourth heat. The boat, consisting of Catherine Harms, Rachael Klunder, Jasmine Blais, Anna Mahoney, Ivana Krkljus, Leslie Lajoie, Rachel Rabinowitz, Edvina Nesukaityte and Danielle Taylor, posted a time of 6:54.625.
The Varsity Four closed out the morning with a fifth place finish in the second heat. The squad, consisting of Nicole Mayer, Aly Derksen, Shannon Perry, Grace Lindberg and Paula Parks, crossed the line in 7:42.795.
Back on the water in the afternoon,all three boats posted faster times in a windy repechage. The V8 lowered their time by nearly 11 seconds, crossing the line in 6:29.853 to advance to the C/D semifinal on Saturday. The 2V8 followed suit, posting a 6:33.289 mark - more than 20 seconds faster than their first race - to move on to the C/D semifinal. The V4 rounded out the day with a time of 7:30.224, dropping more than 12 seconds from their morning time, and will race in the C/D semifinal.
The Varsity Eight will open the day at 8:24 a.m. in the second heat of the semifinal. The Second Varsity Eight will race at 9 a.m. in the first heat of the semifinal. The Varsity Four will race at 9:48 a.m. in the first semifinal heat.