The Ball State women's cross-country team won the CentralCollegiate this past weekend. With a team score of 40, theyfinished ahead of Mid-American Conference opponents WesternMichigan University who had 54 and Bowling Green State Universitywho had 88.
Junior Jill Scully won the meet with a time of 17:34, markingthe second time this season she has finished first in a meet.Senior Crystal Meeks finished right behind her in second place witha time of 17:47. Junior Sarah Huddleston finished fourth after sheran the course in 17:54, only four seconds behind the third placerunner.
"The top three are running phenomenal," head coach Sue Parkssaid. "I thought at one point we might have a chance of going one,two, three."
Freshman Rose Lehe finished just short of the top 10 afterrunning a time of 18:35 to put her in 11th place. For the secondweek in a row, Aubrey Gaffer finished in the fifth team spot with atime of 18:55 giving her a 22nd place finish.
After returning from a back injury, junior Linda Stebbinsfinished 55th with a time of 21:10 in her first meet of the season.She was able to get a race in and come out of it healthy.
Other finishers for the Cardinals were Nicole Hartford with atime of 19:04, Amanda Ponsot with a time of 19:17, Lindsay Keazerwith a time of 19:21 and Lindsay Moldstad with a time of 20:16.
The whole team showed improvement this meet, but Parks said sheis still looking for someone to make a big jump up in their time togive the team a stronger top five.
"It was a good confidence builder for us," Parks said about themeet.
"There's a different feel from last year, we work bettertogether," Scully said about the team.
The level of confidence will be good for the team as they getready for the main part of their schedule. They will compete in theNotre Dame Invitational next week, followed by the Pre-NCAA meetand then the MAC Championship, which will all provide the Cardinalswith some tougher competition.
Parks said, "I feel like we're ready to go into a meet like (theNotre Dame Invitational)."
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