Women's Cross Country | 9/24/2016 9:39:00 PM
FALCON HEIGHTS, MN – Ranked fourth in the nation, the University of Mary women's cross country team faced adversity from several different fronts today. Weather, competition and illness tried to play the villain in the Marauders quest to win a team title at the 2016 Roy Griak Invitational.
With a fair amount of rain falling on the course Thursday and Friday, the weather turned the traditionally scenic Les Bolstad Golf Course into a muddy battlefield. Another foe in front of the Marauders was the five other nationally ranked teams toeing the line looking to keep Mary off the awards podium. Additionally, illness crept into the women's team all week and showed no mercy throughout the 6,000 meter course as well.
With adversity, though, comes opportunity. That opportunity was seized by the University of Mary women with their strong individual and team efforts towards the common goal of winning another Griak title. Although it was not by any means a pretty picture, it was an effective method to accomplishing the task on this given day.
Headlined by
Alexis Zeis, the reigning national champion won the individual title for the second consecutive year and led the women's team to the team title for the second time in program history (the Marauders won the Griak title in 2011 and placed fifth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Spokane, WA, later the same year).
Zeis led the Marauders with her winning performance in a time of 22:10.20. Running just a second ahead of her closest competitor at the halfway mark, the junior from Bismarck, ND, opened up a considerable lead over the last 3,000 meters to win by 14.8 seconds.
Sophomore transfer
Ida Narbuvoll, an All-American at Edinboro last year, also had a strong performance with a fourth place finish in a time of 22:43.60.
A strong pack of Marauders, led by junior
Kaycie Stewart, who finished 24th in a time of 23:58.30, freshman
Kate Fox claimed 29th in 24:02.90, and Bismarck native and sophomore
Jaiden Schuette placed in 38th in 24:12.40, secured the team title for Mary.
Mary just nudged out 9
th ranked Minnesota Duluth for the Griak crown. The Marauders posted 93 points while the Bulldogs checked in with 95. Northern Michigan was a distant third with 122 points. Forty teams competed for the women's Maroon Division II title and 398 runners started the race.
Other notable Marauder finishers were
Rebekkah Bond, who finished 79th in 25:01.60,
Emma Hafdahl was 82nd in 25:04.50, Kaitlynn Engh took 92nd in 25:13.70,
Jackie Harmon claimed 98th in 25:16.80,
Savannah Childers placed 194th in 26:29.80, and Jacey Rose Wilson ran 319th in 29:01.30.
The Marauders next compete at the Yellowjacket Open in Billings, MT, on Oct. 8.
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