Oct. 16, 2004
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Northwestern cross country teams ran two separate squads Saturday, with one group of six women competing at the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., and another group of 10 women running at the Forester Invitational in Vernon Hills, Ill.
In Terre Haute, the 'Cats ran in the Women's Blue Race and finished 35th overall against a field heavy with national powers. The 6K race was contested on the course that will host the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in November, bringing the strongest regular-season field the 'Cats will see this year.
Freshman Marie Grabinski was NU's top individual finisher, placing 100th overall in the race with a time of 22:11.6. Seniors Diana Hossfeld and Lesley Meade were next across the line for the Wildcats, placing 152nd in 22:37.8 and 165th in 22:47.1, respectively.
Kyna Forkins (229th in 23:38.0) and Alison Coren (231st in 23:38.6) rounded out NU's scorers; Mallory O'Niel (232nd in 23:40.4 also competed. A total of 252 women ran in the race.
Stanford won the team title, scoring 49 points to easily distance itself from second-place Notre Dame (111) and third place North Carolina (129). The Cardinal also took home the individual title, thanks to Alicia Craig who clocked 20:20.4 to beat UNC's Carol Henry by three seconds.
In Vernon Hills, Ill., meanwhile, 11 NU women ran at the 5K Forester Invitational hosted by Lake Forest College. And the Wildcats took the team title, scoring 27 points and placing six runners in the top 10.
Kalysta Harmon was NU's top finisher; she placed second overall in 19:20, 38 seconds off the winning pace set by Erin Kelley of Carroll College. Caroline Speirs was next across the line for the 'Cats, placing fourth overall in 19:48. Casey Shea was fifth in 20:05.
Northwestern's other scorers in the race wereAshley Roberts (7th in 20:19) and Natalie Bond (9th in 20:50); Celia Franklin was right on Bond's heels in 10th place (20:52).
Northwestern is off now until the Big Ten Championships, which will take place Oct. 31 in Iowa City.