Any time Michigan gets a chance to take on rival Ohio State, there’s a little extra motivation and nerves for the athletes. And when the Michigan women's rowing team gets the opportunity to take on some of the best teams in the country, stakes are that much higher in the regatta.

The 10th-ranked Wolverines traveled to Columbus for their final regular season regatta on Sunday. Michigan took on three top-15 teams, facing No. 7 Michigan State, No. 15 Ohio State and No. 6 Southern California.

In the first varsity eight race, Michigan finished in third place, just 10 seconds behind the winner, USC.

But it was in the second varsity eight race where the team made its mark. The Wolverines won the race, beating second-place Ohio State by two seconds.

“That boat had a really good week of practice,” Michigan coach Mark Rothstein said. “It was a really composed race where they got out and got the lead pretty early. That was definitely the best race of the day for us.”

Michigan came into Sunday’s races having won its previous three regattas. And despite the rivalry, Rothstein wanted to treat this one just like every other.

“Every race is important, but obviously any time you race Ohio State and Michigan State you want to win,” Rothstein said. “But at the same time we know that the results today aren’t going to matter two weeks from now.”

That’s because two weeks from now Michigan will travel to East Lansing for the Big Ten Rowing Championships.

And even as one of the top teams in the nation, Rothstein still views the regular season as a stepping stone to the postseason.

“It was a good race to gauge where we are, and one thing that’s clear coming out of this weekend is that we have a lot of work to do,” Rothstein said. “We’re in a good position, but we have to get faster.”

In order to improve their speed, Rothstein has been mixing up his lineup. This was the second regatta in a row that juniors Natalie Eisermann and Jennifer Entin were a part of the first varsity eight boat. Sophomore Lindsey Healy was moved up this week, as well.

Team chemistry and unity are certainly important, but in the end Michigan knows it’s all about speed.

“We’re just looking at different combinations, and we felt that they could help the boat go faster,” Rothstein said.

Different combinations aside, Rothstein is simply looking for his entire squad to remain focused to prepare for the postseason.

“It’s important to have a team that comes with purpose every day to practice and puts 100 percent into every stroke,” Rothstein said. “I think if we do that, we have a good shot at winning.”

But no matter how the season ends up, Rothstein — the program’s first and only coach — has enjoyed his 13th year at the helm. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t hungry for some postseason success.

“I like this team a lot,” Rothstein said. “It’s a good group that’s fun to coach. But at the same time we’ve got a lot of work to do. We just have to come and execute in practice and prepare well for Big Tens.”