Women's Cross Country | 10/8/2016 7:35:00 PM
BILLINGS, MT – Demonstrating why they are ranked third in the nation, the University of Mary women's cross country team dominated the Yellowjacket Open. Competing without two of their top eight runners, including the defending national champion, five of the first six runners to cross the finish line belonged to the Marauders.
All-American
Ida Narbuvoll won the race in impressive fashion. The Norwegian transfer from Edinboro cruised the 5,000 meter course in a scintillating time of 17:20 to claim the individual crown by 37 seconds.
Taking second was freshman
Kate Fox. The native of Wing, ND, traversed the trail in 17:57.
Black Hills State runner Christine Thom was the lone interruption in the string of Marauders crossing the finish line as Mary also claimed slots four through six. Junior
Kaycie Stewart (Corvallis, MT) placed fourth with a time of 18:14. Not far back was sophomore
Jaiden Schuette (Bismarck, ND) at 18:30 and junior
Rebekkah Bond (Malone, NY) at 18:43.
Rounding out the top ten overall was
Emma Hafdahl (Virgina, MN) with her mark of 18:53.
Others competing for the Marauders were
Savannah Childers, who placed 13
th, Mikayla Ross (17
th),
Jacey Wilson (22
nd),
Hallie Hartnett (25
th),
Chelsea Bennis (27
th),
Bree Erickson (29
th),
Isabella Schlitz (33
rd) and
Michal Sequeira (51
st).
The Marauders recorded 18 points, easily outpacing runner-up Black Hills State at 47 points. Host MSU Billings placed third (94 points), followed by Rocky Mountain College (109) and Montana Western (115).
The strong effort for Mary came without the help of defending national champion and two-time 2016 USTFCCCA national athlete of the week
Alexis Zeis, three-time all-region performer
Katelynn Engh and
Jackie Harmon, who were all held out of the event in preparation for the championship season.
After taking next weekend off, the Marauders next compete at the Northern Sun championships on Oct. 22 in Sioux Falls, SD.
#marauders#
