Hoosiers use scrimmage at Lake Lemon to gauge early-season progess

Although the IU rowing team left Lake Lemon disappointed after its loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, the defeat might have taught them just how much potential they have as team. \n“I was a little surprised that we weren’t closer to Wisconsin, but recent discoveries from this race have made me confident that I was right in being surprised,” assistant coach Carmen Mirochna said. “There’s a lot of speed in our program, but after this weekend we’ve realized that the first boat isn’t as fast as it could be and that can change.”\nThe Hoosiers squared off against the Badgers during three 1,500-meter scrimmages in the morning and competed in three short, unofficial pieces in the afternoon. Wisconsin swept the morning races, but the Hoosiers’ second varsity eight overtook Wisconsin’s second varsity eight during the afternoon series.\n“They beat us in all three morning races, but during the very last afternoon race, our coach was next to us in the motorboat yelling to pull ahead, and we did,” said junior Kiri Crane, a rower on the second varsity eight. “It became apparent that there’s another level that all of us were able to step up to and we need to be doing that from the start.” \nDuring the last afternoon race – the Hoosiers’ sole victory against Wisconsin – IU’s second varsity eight passed Wisconsin’s second varsity eight and IU’s first varsity eight, coming in second to Wisconsin’s first varsity eight. \nThis week the Hoosiers will tinker with lineups to find the fastest combination of rowers to comprise the first varsity eight for their race in Cincinnati this weekend. \n“After the performances this weekend I do think that there will be changes made in the boats, but that remains to be seen,” Mirochna said. “I think mostly we just need to improve on believing and trusting in ourselves, because all of the right material is there.”\nIU’s first varsity eight came in second to Wisconsin’s varsity eight during the morning pieces with approximately four-second margins in the first two races and a seven-second difference during the last race.\n“We didn’t win any of the pieces, but the afternoon races were super-close,” said senior Dana Powell, a rower on the first varsity eight. “We got a lot of practice in focusing on racing against really good crews, which is always important in the early part of the season.”\nBecause Wisconsin didn’t bring any novice crews, IU’s first and second novice eights faced each other throughout the day.\n“We raced really well and are working on perfecting our technique and putting it all together,” freshman Monica Idstein said. “It was basically like a practice, but it went well. It was good to have so we can have the cleanest race possible when we go against other schools this season.”\nIn addition to the scrimmage, the Hoosiers dedicated the new Dale England Rowing Center to mark the completion of the first phase of boathouse remodeling, which features new locker room, team room, showers and restrooms. The rowing center will eventually have new boat bays, a coaches’ office and expanded indoor workout facilities.