PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University women's rowing team had a strong showing during day one of the 74th annual Dad Vail Regatta on Friday in Philadelphia.

"It was a good day of racing and I'm pleased that everyone will be racing Saturday," said Mercyhurst head coach Adrian Spracklen. "The team is up for the challenge of the semi-finals and finals hoping to bring another championship back to the 'Hurst."

The Lakers qualified two boats for Saturday's action, with the women's varsity heavyweight eight advancing to Saturday's finals after winning its heat on Friday. The boat, consisting of Lindsey Crosby, Kate Moran, Jessica Olson, Amanda Carlyon, Jaimee Lampard, Jordan Herbert, Amanda Primett, Arden Gill, and Michelle Denninger, won its heat with a time of 6:57.60. They were the only boat to finish the race in under seven minutes.

Central Oklahoma finished second with a time of 7:02.46, while Grand Valley State placed third at 7:05.54. Seattle Pacific and Florida Institute of Technology were fourth and fifth respectively.

The finals, which take place at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, will consist of Mercyhurst, Lowell, Central Oklahoma, Nova Southeastern, Barry, and Grand Valley State. Mercyhurst enters the race having won the event three years in a row, and looks to become the first school in history to win the event in four consecutive years.

Meanwhile, the women's varsity heavyweight four took second in its heat on Friday and will compete in Saturday's semifinals. The boat, which features Holly Ansaldi, Pia Frascatore, Leyla Dombrowski, Kristine Wright, Mairead Manke, finished with a time of 7:53.29. Florida State won the heat in 7:47.18, while the University of Rochester placed third at 8:14.22.

The semifinals will feature Mercyhurst, Seattle Pacific, Chicago, Bowdoin, and Bryn Mawr, with the top two advancing to the finals.

The WPVI (6ABC) broadcast of the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta finals will include two camera boats catching the action from the Schuylkill River. WPVI (6ABC) will also provide live-cut-ins at the top of every hour beginning at 1:00 p.m. For continuing coverage of all the final races rowing fans can tune in to 6ABC.com/ESPN3.com.  Action News Sports Anchor Keith Russell will lead the coverage on Saturday, May 12, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., along with commentators Ferdinand Bergen, former LaSalle High School and Temple University Dad Vail gold medal winner, and Renee Hykel, a standout rower at St. Joseph's University and a former Olympian. Jason Read, a four-year Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta gold medal winner for Temple and current women's rowing coach at Temple will join Russell, Bergen and Hykel on Saturday evening for a recap show that can be viewed on 6ABC beginning at 7:30 p.m.