But it was not to be, as Ohio, Virginia, Princeton and California dominated the repechage, leaving the Black and White with a fifth-place time of 8:08.0, just edging B.U.’s 8:08.7 and reserving a place for the Black and White in the Petite Final.

In the Petite Final on day three of the regatta, B.U. led for the first half of the course with Princeton in second followed by Radcliffe. But near the 1000-meter mark, the Tigers took the lead as California also walked through the Black and White boat.

Princeton carried its lead to the win with a time of 7:40.84. B.U. and California followed closely with times of 7:42.08 and 7:43.48 respectively while Radcliffe fell to fourth place in Petite Final and 10th overall with a time of 7:52.38. Washington garnered its second top finish with a win in the Grand Final.

The second varsity boat took the short route to its first Grand Final appearance by winning second place in the morning heat of day one. Though Radcliffe held the lead for the first 1000 meters of the race, Michigan pulled through and earned an automatic spot in the Grand Final with its winning time of 6:39.3 over the Black and White’s time of 6:44.1.

In the Grand Final, Michigan won the event with a time of 6:43.34 over Washington’s 6:48.52. Radcliffe settled for sixth place with a time of 6:55.31.

“The 2V was disappointed with how they performed,” Fling said. “They felt like it wasn’t their best race.”

Washington won the team competition with a total of 58 points while Michigan and Brown took second and third with 53 and 49 points, respectively. Radcliffe’s 20 points earned eighth.

“We were excited to compete in NCAAs and it was exciting to move the boat really well,” Piscitello said.

It was a long road to Lake Lanier for a Radcliffe crew that battled through close losses at the end of the season and technical difficulties before the varsity eight’s surprise fourth-place finish at Easterns, which gave the team an NCAA bid. But the Black and White emerged with its fourth consecutive team appearance at the NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship and a few of its best races of the season.