By Joe Rubin

The Huskies lost another meet to Harvard at the Smith Cup last Saturday, losing by three lengths.

“It was very disappointing, ” said NU coach John Pojednic. “They are a very young and inexperienced crew, who I think reacted very poorly, I do not feel that we rowed to the best of our ability.”

The loss made it six years since the Huskies have beaten Harvard at the Smith Cup, with two coming under Pojednic’s watchful eye.

Northeastern claimed the advantage at the beginning, and had an early lead at the beginning of the race, but Harvard came back and closed in quickly to tie at the 500 meter mark, before taking the race the rest of the way.

“We never settled, we were just frantic,” said senior Mark Shamp.

According to Pojednic, “rhythm is everything” in the sport, as he looked at his team disheartened.

“We did not have a rhythm, from the beginning. We did not set a rhythm,” said Shamp, who knows full well that without a rhythm, each member is rowing on individual strength and not as one team which doesn’t cut it. “We could not put anything behind the oar,” said Shamp.

This race is a big concern for Pojednic. The question now is will the inexperience on the team have this big an effect for the rest of the season. He is looking at the race and lack of rhythm “very seriously.” Pojednic then noted, “We have a lot to focus on.”

“I would have liked to make a better race out of it,” said Pojednic. “They are a good team, but I would have liked to come closer.”

To practice for the Smith Cup, the Huskies practiced the race course daily, set with minds to execute the race, and to black out what is around them so they can focus on the task at hand. After a week’s worth of good preparations, the team was very excited for this race, and had high expectations. “We did not execute what we were supposed to do,” Shamp said.

The key now, Pojednic believes, is practice. The more the team practices the better they get, and will hopefully allow the team to get by the obstacle of little experience.

“Practice well, and apply it to the race,” as Pojednic put it.

“We just have to focus on what we are trying to do,” Shamp said. “It just takes focus.”

Next, the Huskies are scheduled to tackle Boston University at the Arlett Cup on April 12. The Terriers, whom the Huskies defeated last year, were ranked 19th by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches poll.