Third-place finish welcome sight for IU

After an NCAA-mandated day off, the IU women's rowing team is a little more buoyant at its Lake Lemon boathouse. \nSunday at the Head of the Elk, the IU Varsity Eight earned a bronze medal in a third-place finish tied with Big Ten and in-state rival Purdue. \nThe Hoosiers not only outpaced several notable rowing teams, including Michigan and Northwestern, they also topped Notre Dame, which finished the 2004 spring season ranked No. 11 in the country. \n"It was a really, really good day for us," said IU coach Steve Peterson. "It was a huge step forward for the team, especially beating Notre Dame." \nIU finished the 2.5-mile race against the clock in choppy waters and with a tailwind on the St. Joseph River in Elkhart, Ind., in a time of 15 minutes, 25.06 seconds, behind Wisconsin's 15:02.30 and Michigan State's 14:29.80. Notre Dame was timed in 15:30.05, good for fourth place. \nIt was the team's best showing at the Head of the Elk since its fourth place finish in 2001. IU finished seventh in last year's event.\n"This means we're doing things right," Peterson said. "It clearly shows we're improving and now able to compete with other nationally ranked programs." \nIn only its fifth year, the young IU rowing program has not been known for its prowess moving boats on the water. It finished seventh in the Big Ten in 2004. So capturing third place and beating the Irish hoists the Hoosiers' cheerfulness.\nJunior Ashley Airis, rowing in the six seat, said the race sheds a little sunshine on the team, which seeks to climb out of seventh place in the Big Ten.\n"It's nice to say, 'Notre Dame, we can beat you, and we did,'" Airis said. "It felt good." \nSenior coxswain Sarah Meyer explained that the race strategy was to attack from the stern and stay, as long as possible, ahead of Wisconsin, which started in the position behind IU. \nCombined with a stroke rating that reached 32 pulls per minute, the tactic worked well, although the Badgers rowed through the IU boat in the final 800 meters. \nThe third place finish raises awareness of IU rowing, Meyer said. \n"It throws us into the mix with a lot of powerhouse crews," she said.\nIU sent three other boats to the regatta. The second Varsity Eight -- facing the same 18 rowing programs as the first varsity boat -- finished fourth in its category with a time of 15:33.90, and the first Varsity Four placed sixth in its division in a time of 17:53.70. \nIn a boat filled entirely with walk-ons, the IU novice eight finished 12th with a time of 18:17.80. \n"It was a solid performance," novice coach Carmen Mirochna said. "These athletes have a lot of potential." \nThe bronze medal varsity boat was powered by six veterans and two newcomers. \nReturning from last season were senior Amanda Walker at stroke, junior Lauren Anderson in seven, Airis, junior Laura Lazaridis in five, senior Kelly Schuiling in three and junior Elisabeth Benoit in bow. \nSophomore Stacey Young, working her way from the novice program, occupied the four seat, while sophomore transfer Dana Lynn Powell completed the bow pair in the two seat. \nAfter scrimmages Nov. 6 and Nov. 12 at Lake Lemon, IU rowers will enter the lonely winter months cloistered indoors training on rowing machines and with weights. \nBut Meyer believes the results at the Head of the Elk will push the team to work harder and become stronger over the winter.\nPeterson, too, is encouraged.\n"We have some momentum that will help us continue to move forward," he said. "I am very excited for what the spring holds for the Hoosier women's rowing program."\n-- Contact staff writer Bill \nMeehan at