UMass Lowell placed fourth in a group of four in the Women's Division II Varsity Heavyweight Eight Petite Final at the 2013 Dad Vail Regatta. Saturday, on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia, Pa.
 
The competition was the final event of the season for UMass Lowell.
 
The River Hawk boat covered the two-thousand meter course, in windy and choppy conditions, in a time of seven-minutes, 23.778-seconds, less than ten seconds behind the second place finisher.
 
Florida Institute of Technology won the race in a time of 7:07.002.  Orange Coast College grabbed second place crossing the finish line in a time of 7:13.990 while Rollins College finished third, 7:16.302.
 
Members of UMass Lowell's eight included junior coxswain Rachel Paquette (Dracut, Mass.), junior Jenna Bueno (Methuen, Mass.), sophomore Rachael Piela (Amherst, Mass.), seniors Kim Haskins (Taunton, Mass.) and Melinda Neale (Plaistow, N.H.); sophomore Brianna Trainor (Pelham, N.H.), seniors Julia Jennings (Lowell, Mass.), and juniors Megan McLaughlin (Haverhill, Mass.) and Bridget Mahoney (Dracut, Mass.).
 
“These kids raced full throttle,” says UMass Lowell Rowing Head Coach Veronika Platzer.  “How long we could race with the pack was the key.  They did a terrific job; they were racing their brains out.”
 
The River Hawk boat stayed with the pack through much of the race, but feel out of the group with five-hundred meters remaining. 
 
“The bouncy waters got to them,” says Platzer. “As they gain experience they will learn how to deal with such conditions.”
 
Although the weekend events ended the season, Platzer was pleased with the progress shown during the year.  Friday's time of 7:09.33 was the best of the season.
 
“They showed effort, courage, conviction and maturity, they attacked the course,” says Platzer.  “They've become racers.”