Scrimmage ends with mixed results

This weekend the IU rowing team raced in a scrimmage in South Bend, where it competed against Big Ten foes Iowa, Michigan State and Notre Dame.

Sending two Varsity 8, Varsity 4, and Novice 8 crews, IU raced a full team for the first time this year.

IU’s Novice 8 B crew was the only boat to win for the Hoosiers, finishing in a time of 15:02.6 seconds. The Novice 8 A crew was the other bright spot for the Hoosiers, taking second in their race. IU took last in all of their Varsity 4 and Varsity 8 races.

IU coach Steve Peterson said that, as a whole, the team performed admirably.

“We had several goals, the biggest of which was to try and attack more than we have in the past, and I think they did a good job of that,” Peterson said.

With scrimmages primarily defining the fall schedule, the Hoosiers have had their share of battles.

After last week’s Princeton Chase in which the Hoosiers raced against some of the elite programs in collegiate rowing, the team took on prime competition again this week.

Racing down a three-mile stretch of the St. Joseph River, it was the first time IU faced a Big Ten opponent this year.

“To have an early race in the fall where we can learn a lot from it, take away a lot from, it is really key,” Peterson said. “If you’re just racing slow people, you’re not really going to learn things.”

Growing with each race, the competition-weary Hoosiers continue to ready themselves for what they hope will be a successful spring.

“I think we still have a lot work to do and things to kind of iron out,” Peterson said, “but it’s just another step forward.”