Michigan
Texas
U-M Finds Positives in Races vs. No. 2 Texas in First Home Action
4/10/2021 12:38:00 PM | Rowing
» The Wolverines and Longhorns dodged the rain to enjoy fantastic weather on Belleville Lake with minimal winds and plenty of sun.
» U-M's 1V8 came in 9.02 seconds behind the top Longhorn boat.
» The Wolverines were on the water at Belleville, marking the first of two home event this season (May 2 Senior Day).
Site: Belleville Lake (Belleville, Mich.)
Event: Michigan vs. Texas
First Varsity Eight Finish: 6:34.52 (2nd)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., April 17-18 -- at Big Ten Invitational (Cincinnati, Ohio), 8 a.m.
• Photo Gallery
BELLEVILLE, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan rowing program measured up against one of the country's top programs at Belleville Lake on Saturday (April 10), racing against No. 2-ranked Texas in four events. The Longhorns got the better of U-M throughout the schedule, but for a Wolverine team that is building towards a late-season push, there were still positives to be found, beginning with the opportunity to race at home for the first time since May 2019.
The Wolverines and Longhorns enjoyed fantastic weather on Belleville Lake this morning, with minimal winds and plenty of sun. The two teams rowed head-to-head in first and second varsity eight and varsity four races, with one U-M intrasquad closing out the five-event schedule.
The first varsity eight boat raced first. It was a clean start to the race and UT got off the line quickly. At 750 meters, the Longhorn coxswain had overlap with U-M's bow seat and the distance grew to open water near the halfway point. Both crews made a move, but Texas held the Wolverines off and opened their lead only slightly, to more than a boat length. U-M began its sprint early and caught up ground toward the finish line, but a strong second-half to the race was not enough to overcome the lead UT built and the Longhorns crossed 9.02 seconds ahead at 6:25.5.
In the 2V8 race, UT had another strong start and began walking on the Wolverines past the 500-meter mark, working to a boat length of open water near the hallway point. The Longhorns pushed and extended that lead over the latter half of the race, coming in at 6:28.6 with U-M 15.52 seconds behind.
The first varsity four race was the third event of the morning, and Texas built a three-to-four seat lead in the first 100 meters, putting open water on the Wolverines near the quarter mark of the race. The Longhorns upped the lead through the halfway point of the race before U-M responded with a move of its own. In the end, it was UT taking the win in 7:27.49 with U-M crossing at 7:46.73.
The final race of the day that included the Longhorns was the 2V4/3V4 event. Texas' second four took an early lead on both U-M boats and was up about four seats after the first few hundred meters. UT opened that lead to a boat and a half of open water past the halfway point of the race, but U-M clawed back over the second 1,000 meters. In the end, U-M had its closest margin of the day (+6.73) as it crossed in 7:37.51.
The Wolverines are now four events into this spring season, but there is plenty of time for this team and its top boats to get faster. This season is even younger for Texas, competing for the first time this spring, which illustrates just how much time still remains before the NCAA Championships at the end of May.
U-M returns to the state of Ohio next Saturday and Sunday (April 17-18) for the Big Ten Invitational in Cincinnati. It will be the third time in five weekends this spring that U-M has made the short trip south. The bulk of the conference, which has seven teams ranked in the top 20, will be represented.
Results
First Varsity Eight
1. Texas -- 6:25.5
2. MICHIGAN -- 6:34.52
Second Varsity Eight
1. Texas -- 6:28.6
2. MICHIGAN -- 6:44.12
First Varsity Four
1. Texas -- 7:27.49
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:46.73
Second Varsity Four
1. Texas -- 7:30.78
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:37.51
3. MICHIGAN (3V4) -- 8:11.16
Novice Four/Novice Eight
1. MICHIGAN 1N4 -- 7:48.36
2. MICHIGAN 3N4 -- 7:56.18
3. MICHIGAN 2N4 -- 8:00.11
4. MICHIGAN 1N8 -- 8:13.91
Michigan Lineup
1V8: Charlotte Powers (coxswain), Annika Hoffmann, Tayla-May Bentley, Madison Byrd, Lilia Duncan, Grace Collins, Kate Burns, Noa Sreden, Julia Gehlert
2V8: Darien Moses (coxswain), Delaney Evans, Emma Luniewicz, Ember Larson, Paige Badenhorst, Abigail Dent, Victoria Cooke, Annaka Draaisma, Aubrey Fitts
1V4: Madelyn Ball, Megan Hinkle, Olivia McMullen, Lauren Benitez, Kayla Ehrlich (coxswain)
2V4: Kathryn Ward, Taylor Toudouze, Tara Flaherty, Haven Essien, Alexandra Gabel (coxswain)
3V4: Lara Vanderbilt, Lauren Sickmiller, Ally Eggleton, Hadley Camp, Eliese Hornberger-Rocco (coxswain)
1N4: Isabel Mezei, Elle Caton, Katie Lucken, Brooke Gietzen, Faith Bridgeman (coxswain)
2N4: Olivia Krum, Lily Pence, Julia Casey, Sophia Rallis, Ainslie Evans (coxswain)
3N4: Olivia Olk, Ashley Veldheer, Chloe Pulick, Annika Ehrlacher, Rocky Morabito (coxswain)
1N8: Caitlin Dusenbury (coxswain), Lauren Langley, Kate Kikilo, Kaylin Eighmey, Molly Maloy, Alexandria Reinert, Lauren Nemeh, Grace Haller, Brooke Harrison
Players Mentioned
