Iowa City, Iowa - The Drake rowing team raced in the Iowa Chase against Creighton and Northwestern on Sunday, Oct. 22.
 
"The day was perfect," Head Coach Charlie DiSilvestro said. "The weather was perfect today. The team performed amazingly, we learned a lot, got some nice medals, and took another step forward in the process of getting ready for spring racing."
 
The five of Kiernan Blanchard, Camille Gretter, Lily Evan-Cook, Sara Wilson, and Caitlyn Figge finished in second place with a 13:33.6 time. The four other Drake five boats occupied the fifth place through eighth place spots. 
 
"I want to highlight Haley Frieden, Laci Smith and Lillian Bitker," DiSilvestro said. "Haley and Laci really stepped up. They were our two novices who raced today. They raced in the varsity event and did really well; I'm really proud of those two. Lillian Bitker's a rower but we asked her to sit in the coxswain's seat so we could row a fifth four and she did an amazing job steering her crew down the course."

Frieden and Smith's boat of five clocked in with a 14:57.6 time. Bitker's boat of five finished at a 15:37.2 mark.
 
"We were happy but not satisfied," DiSilvestro said. "We went there to win but we are satisfied that we made improvements to the process of being ready for spring."
 
Drake's next race is against Creighton on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa at the Bright-Beckwith Boathouse.

"Now we have two weeks to train for our final spring race against Creighton on Saturday, November four," DiSilvestro said.
 
Varsity fours

• Kiernan Blanchard, Camille Gretter, Lily Evan-Cook, Sara Wilson, Caitlyn Figge: 13:33.6 - 2nd place
• Maggie Poltrock, Ella Bloom, Camille Cole, Selah Bourgeois, Cayden Anderson: 14:40.1 - 5th place
• Bella Wolfe, Savannah Smith, Laci Smith, Haley Frieden and Jazmynn Good: 14:57.6 - 6th place
• Emily Peck, Sarah Chastain, Jessica Seelinger, Claire Mulder, Jenna Smyth: 15:18.4 - 7th place
• Alana Rater, Lillian Bitker, Claire Martin, Allyson Afrank, Mary Jonas: 15:37.2 - 8th place

Varsity eights

• Lily Evan-Cook, Savannah Smith, Sara Wilson, Kiernan Blanchard, Camille Cole, Selah Bourgeois, Cayden Anderson, Maggie Poltrock, Caitlyn Figge: 12:47.5 - 2nd place
• Alana Rater, Sarah Chastain, Jessica Seelinger, Allyson Afrank, Claire Martin, Lillian Bitker, Mary Jonas, Bella Wolfe, Jazmynn Good: 13:39.8 - 4th place