RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Pennsylvania women's rowing team completed a successful first day at the Lake Wheeler Invitational. The Quakers' three NCAA boats went a combined 29-1 on Friday, the ninth-ranked Varsity Eight and the Varsity Four both going 10-0. The two-day event, being co-hosted by Duke and North Carolina, concludes tomorrow morning with all five Penn boats in action.
 
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Varsity Eight
Penn's ninth-ranked boat went a perfect 10-0 on the day. In the opening heat, the Quakers clocked 6:36.935 across Lake Wheeler's 2,000-meter course. That had the Quakers nearly six seconds ahead of Miami, which nipped UCF at the finish line and was awarded second place in 6:42.638. The Knights were third in 6:42.991, followed by UNC (6:48.101), Bucknell (6:49.705) and Boston College (6:56.025).
 
In the evening heat, Penn and Syracuse battled right up to final buoys with the Quakers determined the winner with a time of 6:30.588, just ahead of the Orange who were timed in 6:30.774. UCF (6:43.021) nipped Clemson (6:43.688) for third place, while Bucknell (6:49.758) in fifth while Navy (6:51.181) was sixth.
 
Second Varsity Eight
This boat went 9-1 on the day, winning a pair of six-boat races. In its opening heat on Friday, the Quakers clocked 6:43.669 to finish almost exactly six seconds ahead of Miami (6:49.662). UCF was third (6:51.636) followed by BC (7:02.079), UNC (7:08.466) and Bucknell (7:13.822).
 
In the evening heat, Penn was nipped by a little more than half a second at the finish line by Syracuse, the Orange clocked in 6:38.205 and the Quakers in 6:38.788. Clemson was a distant third, in 6:51.365, while UCF (6:54.198) was fourth followed by Navy (6:55.602) and Bucknell (7:09.165).
 
Varsity Four
Penn went a perfect 10-0 on Friday. In their opening heat, the Quakers covered the course in 7:35.725 which had them well ahead of UCF who was second in 7:43.062. BC (7:53.652) was third, just ahead of UNC (7:54.765), with Bucknell fifth and Miami sixth.
 
In the evening heat, Penn clocked 7:29.971 which had the Red and Blue finishing just ahead of second-place Syracuse (7:32.057). Clemson was a distant third, in 7:39.394, followed by UCF (7:43.654), Navy (7:45.577) and Bucknell (8:03.782).
 
Second Varsity Four
Penn had two boats in the same race in the day's first heats, the Third Varsity Eight taking second and the Second Varsity Eight third behind race winner UCF (7:49.102). The 3V4 was clocked in 7:56.822 and the 2V4 clocked 8:02.385. UNC was fourth in the race, and Miami was fifth.
 
In the evening races, Penn's 3V4 won its three-boat heat, clocking 7:44.712 to finish well ahead of UNC (7:59.502) and Georgetown (8:10.369). The 2V4 finished fifth in its heat, clocking 7:57.183. Syracuse won the race in 7:37.909 followed by UCF, Navy and Clemson.
 
Saturday's schedule
9:36 a.m. – 3V4 vs. UCF, Kansas, UNC, Syracuse
10 a.m. – 2V4 vs. Duke, Navy, Temple
10:36 a.m. – 1V4 vs. BC, BU, Duke, Navy, Temple
11:12 a.m. – 2V8 vs. BC, BU, Duke, Navy, Temple
11:48 a.m. – 1V8 vs. BC, BU, #11 Duke, Navy, Temple