CHERRY HILL, N.J. - On the opening day of the Knecht Cup, the George Mason rowing team advanced five boats to semi-final action and will return five boats to action on Sunday.  Highlighting the preliminary rounds for the Patriots were the varsity pair and novice four, both winning their heats, while the novice four also won its semi-final.

Mason kicked the day off with the varsity pair winning heat 3 with a time of 8:39.74. UMass took second in 8:42.23 followed by Penn State and Loyola. Mason raced two boats in the varsity four, claiming third and fifth place finishes, respectively. The Patriots advanced one boat to semi-final action in the afternoon.

The second varsity four took to the water next claiming second place in 8:06.21 just behind Kansas in first with 7:59.31, pushing them to semi-final action.

Mason's first novice four captured heat 3 crossing in 8:07.01, beating out Northeastern, Rollins, Duquesne, Lafayette and Stockton. Mason's second novice four took third-place in 8:24.81 behind Pittsburgh and Villanova. Both boats moved on to semi-final action.

In the varsity eight, Mason crossed second in 6:59.18 behind first-place Drexel which crossed in 6:52.29 to move into semi-final rounds. Two second varsity eights raced next for Mason, both capturing fifth-place finishes with times of 7:32.83 and 7:29.90. The novice eight closed out preliminary rounds for Mason taking sixth-place.

In semi-final action in the afternoon, Mason's varsity four recorded a fifth-place standing with a time of 7:58.57 to advance to Sunday. Also capturing a fifth-place semi-final finish was the second varsity four which crossed the finish line in 8:09.11.

Two novice fours raced in semi-final 3 for Mason. Mason's first boat took the semi-final in 8:00.35, while the second boat recorded fourth in 8:43.47. Both boats will return for Sunday action. Rounding out Saturday competition was the varsity eight in the third semi-final. The Patriots finished sixth with a time of 6:57.38, advancing to Sunday action.

For complete results of day one, please click here.

On Sunday, Mason will open competition with the varsity pair racing in the final at 7:40 a.m. Racing for the Patriots on Sunday will be the varsity eight, varsity four, two novice fours and the varsity pair.

Results

Varsity Pair Heat 3
1. George Mason – 8:39.74
2. UMass – 8:42.23
3. Penn State – 8:46.61
4. Loyola – 9:17. 46
Lineup: Madison Beumer, Meredith Bennett

Varsity Four Heat 5
1. Bucknell – 8:00.90
2. Buffalo – 8:03.80
3. George Mason A – 8:06.96
4. Robert Morris – 8:17.08
5. Alabama – 8:25.36
6. West Virginia – 8:34.35
Lineup: Nathalie Rosado, Courtney Kim, Bridget Hally, Lindsay Bowen, Brittany Richardson

Varsity Four Heat 6
1. ODU – 8:13.76
2. Colgate A – 8:17.60
3. UMass B – 8:17.62
4. Lehigh – 8:22.92
5. George Mason B – 8:26.05
6. Loyola – 8:26.38
Lineup: Trish Kelshaw, Cassie Robbins, Virginia Ratcliff, Chandler Bishop, Jackson Hug

Second Varsity 4 Heat 4
1. Kansas B – 7:59.31
2. George Mason – 8:06.21
3. UConn A – 8:11.96
4. Dayton – 8:16.75
5. Alabama – 8:17.96
Lineup: Carol Bentley, Anna Murphy, Mary Gauthier, Vicki Allers, Susannah Shamlian

Novice Four Heat 3
1. George Mason A – 8:07.01
2. Northeastern – 8:14.86
3. Rollins – 8:31.42
4. Duquesne B – 8:37.69
5. Lafayette A – 8:40.26
6. Stockton – 9:56.67
Lineup: Caitlin Lucas, Kara Pohlmeier, Katie Bamberger, Kelly Rice, Cailyn Casto

Novice Four Heat 4
1. Pittsburgh A – 8:11.71
2. Villanova – 8:21.34
3. George Mason B – 8:24.81
4. Robert Morris – 8:27.78
5. Buffalo – 8:58.66
6. NY Maritime – 9:55.04
Lineup: Michelle Andrawis, Kayla Salzman, Brittani Gomes, Elizabeth Roberts, Brittany Eckert

Varsity Eight Heat 1
1. Drexel – 6:52.29
2. George Mason – 6:59.18
3. Bucknell – 6:59.20
4. Canisius – 6:59.75
5. Delaware – 7:07.11
Lineup: Nathalie Rosado, Madison Beumer, Kimberley Griffin, Meredith Bennett, Lindsay Bowen, Bridget Hally, Katie Bamberger, Brittany Richardson, Chandler Bishop

Second Varsity Eight Heat 3
1. Buffalo – 7:09.00
2. West Virginia – 7:10.71
3. Wisconsin – 7:13.29
4. Duquesne – 7:14.21
5. George Mason A – 7:32.83
6. Robert Morris – 7:36.26
LIneup: Trish Kelshaw, Katie Weintraub, Jackson Hug, Cassie Robbins, Virginia Ratcliff, Carolyn Tousley, Kelly Rice, Kara Pohlmeier, Cailyn Casto

Second Varsity Eight Heat 4
1. Boston College A – 7:03.10
2. Alabama- 7:10.34
3. North Carolina – 7:15.12
4. Rutgers – 7:25.24
5. George Mason B – 7:29.90
6. LaSalle – 7:47.40
Lineup: Carol Bentley, Anna Murphy, Mary Gauthier, Vicki Allers, Susannah Shamlian, Amanda Houlihan, Kayla Salzman, Allyson Nagle, Hayley Walczer

Novice Eight Heat 1
1. Boston College – 7:02.18
2. Lehigh – 7:07.78
3. Bucknell – 7:12.62
4. Temple – 7:13.98
5. Duquesne – 7:27.83
6. George Mason – 7:56.29
Lineup: Michelle Andrawis, Kayla Salzman, Sarah Brady, Elizabeth Roberts, Brittani Gomes, Morgan Silverstein, Marissa Jerry, Sarah Beamon, Juliana Moskowitz

Varsity Four Semi 2
1. Northeastern – 7:46.19
2. Bucknell – 7:49.50
3. Drexel – 7:52.99
4. Pittsburgh A – 7:54.79
5. George Mason A – 7:58.57
6. Colgate A – 8:26.49

Second Varsity 4 Semi 2
1. Kansas A – 7:47.65
2. Boston College A – 7:51.37
3. Philadelphia – 8:03.76
4. UConn A – 8:04.96
5. George Mason – 8:09.11
6. UMass – 8:32.14

Novice Four Semi 3
1. George Mason A – 8:00.35
2. Pittsburgh A – 8:05.06
3. Robert Morris – 8:26.22
4. George Mason B – 8:43.47
5. West Virginia B – 8:49.09
6. Lafayette B – 9:00.41

Varsity Eight Semi 3
1. Bucknell – 6:35.44
2. Northeastern – 6:38.86
3. Kansas – 6:39.11
4. Boston College – 6:39.32
5. Rutgers – 6:47.26
6. George Mason – 6:57.38