The University of Minnesota Duluth's quest for a third consecutive Roy Griak Invitational team title came up just short -- as in two points short -- Saturday morning as the Bulldogs settled for second place in the 40-team event.
The University of Mary, a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival of UMD's, took first in the Maroon II Race with 93 points while the Bulldogs (95 pts.) were right behind. Northern Michigan University (122 pts.) finished a distant third at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn.
"Pretty much the whole team is battling body aches, fever and head colds right now so all things considered, I like what I saw today," said UMD head coach
Joanna Warmington. "We ran hard and gutted it out on a muddy course and I'm proud of our effort."
Mary's Alexis Zeis, the defending NCAA Divison II and Griak Maroon II Race champion, completed the 6K course in 22:10.2 to claim invidual honors ahead of UMD junior Emilee Trost (22:25.0), the reigning NSIC Cross Country Athlete of the Week. Trost's senior teammate,
Breanna Colbenson was third (22:34.6) out of a field of some 399 runners. The Bulldogs ensuing five finishers included juniors
Amber Seidenkranz (23rd place; 23.56.1) and
Abby Moore (26th place; 23.59.8), freshmen
Sarah Harrison (44th place; 24:20.4) and
Meg Borowski (87th place; 25.07.2) and sophomore
Megan Stuart (91st place; 25.12.3).
Former Bulldog All-American
Hannah Olson, one year removed from her final season of collegiate competition, ran unnattached and placed eighth overall in 23:07.0
The Bulldogs will have next weekend off before returning to the race circuit on Oct. 8 for the Lewis University Crossover meet in Romeoville, Ill.
2016 Roy Griak Invitational Maroon Race II Results.
