Ravens send two boats to Grand Finals at NERCs for first time in program history

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 2, 2015) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's rowing team put a strong performance together at the New England Rowing Championships, advancing both their Varsity Four and Second Varsity Four onto the Grand Finals. This is the first time in program history the Ravens have sent two boats to the Grand Finals at the event.

The Women's Novice Four began the morning by taking fourth place in their heat with a time of 9:14.96. Despite having rowed together for less than a week, the novice four -- freshman coxswain Emily Morrill (Lowell, Mass.), freshman Danielle Clarke, junior Amanda Beasley (Newmarket, N.H.), freshman Stephanie Priest (Dudley, Mass.), and junior Kasie Tucker (Bow, N.H.) -- put together a solid morning row. They held off Brandeis (9:30.44) and Roger Williams (10:48.20), while falling to the Bowdoin (8:18.825), which was the eventual event champion, as well as Williams (8:33.814) and University of New Hampshire (8:39.731). The Novice Four completed their day with a third-place finish in the petite final with a time of 9:24.514, to finish behind Massachusetts Lowell (9:02.673) and Brandeis (9:18.110). The Four avenged a loss to Bryant (9:36.134), which had bested the Ravens two weeks ago in Smithfield, R.I. Franklin Pierce also finished in front of Roger Williams (10:13.929) in the final.

The Second Varsity Four, led by junior coxswain Mary Quinn (Erie, Pa.), junior Colette Donnelly (Woodbury, Conn.), sophomore Kirsten Salois (Pelham, N.H.), junior Megan DeFelice and senior Ashley Lavoie (Coventry, R.I.) opened their day with their best race of the season and a third-place finish in their morning heat after rowing the course in 8:45.048. The Second Varsity boat finished behind Connecticut College (8:38.417) and was edged out in the final 200 meters by Clark (8:40.236) for second place in the heat. Massachusetts Lowell finished in fourth, with a time of 8:48.705 and Bryant rounded out the group with a 9:05.191. The third-place finish garnered the Ravens their first-ever spot in the Grand Final of the Women's Second Varsity Four event. The Second Varsity would go on to finish sixth in the Grand Final, with a time of 9:00.259, behind event winner Amherst College (8:04.912), University of New Hampshire (8:17.638), Bowdoin (8:18.122), Connecticut College(8:36.692) and Clark (8:52.748).

Not to be outdone, the Varsity Four, headed by senior coxswain Bianca Baldelli (Stonington, Conn.), sophomore Nicole Rode (Thomaston, Conn.), senior Paige McGroarty (Quincy, Mass.), senior Hayley Brown (Newbury, Mass.) and senior Madelene Morrill (Greenville, Pa.) put together their own strong effort, finishing third in their morning heat with a time of 8:28.741 to punch their ticket to the Grand Final. The Varsity boat fell to eventual event winner, Merrimack (8:02.145), as well as Massachusetts Lowell (8:13.449), which went on to win the silver medal in the event. The Varsity boat defeated Coast Guard (8:37.035) and Assumption (9:01.835) in the morning race. The Varsity boat went on to post an 8:18.147 in the Grand Final, placing fifth overall, behind Merrimack (7:58.111), Massachusetts Lowell (8:02.644), Bowdoin (8:06.247) and Connecticut College (8:16.590). The latter edged the Ravens out for fourth in the final 100 meters. Bryant rounded out the field of finalists with an 8:29.858, finishing eleven seconds behind the Ravens Varsity boat. This appearance in the Women's Varsity Four Grand Final marked the Raven's seventh trip to the championship final since 2001, with the most recent appearance coming in 2012.

The Ravens will take to the water again on Friday, May 8, at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, where they will close out their 2015 campaign.