Okay, not a bad showing for the Cross Country team today. Karla Alburez is really coming into her own as team leader for the Cross Country team as she led the Runnin' Eagles into Low Cal to take part in the Aztec Invitational, hosted by San Diego State.
Finishing in the top five, and being the highest Division II team out of 14 squads in the race says a lot about how far coach Christopher Asher has gotten his team together in just two weeks after surviving the blast furnace of the Fullerton Invitational on Sept. 1. All of the seniors said that they wanted to gauge themselves against a team like the fourth ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.
Karla finished 11th overall in a field of 139 runners, while the team earned 135 points. Karla covered the 5,000-meter course at Balboa Park in 18:09 while teammate Maribel Cespedes was 18th in 18:27. Shawna Burger was 26th in 18:54, Liliana Hernandez was 37th in 19:08 and Cynthia Rios was 52nd in 19:35. Rounding out the non-scored finishers, Claire Weinan was 82nd in 20:09, Dora Perez was 92nd in 20:29, Maria Castaneda was 108th in 20:51 and Gloria Galaz was 125th in 21:41.
Arkansas won with 28 points. UC Santa Barbara, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I West Region, was second with 97 points, Northern Arizona was third with 114 points and USC was fourth with 117 points. The Runnin' Eagles finished ahead of Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, Cal State San Marcos, Southern Utah, Air Force, San Diego State, UNLV, St. Mary's and University of San Diego., only San Marcos was the only other non-Division I in the race.
Next up for the Runnin' Eagles is the mid-point of the five-race season, the Pepperdine Invitational this Saturday morning in Malibu. Yes, I said five-race season. Pepperdine also represents the last local race the Eagles are participating in. After Pepperdine, the Eagles return to San Deigo to run the UCSD Triton Invitational On October 6, then close out the season in Santa Clara for the Bronco invitational on the 13th of October. The CCAA Conference title is on the line at CSU Stanislaus on October 20, then the NCAA West Regionals on November 3rd up in Larry Craig Country (that's Boise, Idaho for those of you who don't follow the news) then the National Championships in Joplin, Missouri on the 17th.
Aztec Cross Country Invitational
At Balboa Park
Saturday's Results
Team scores: 1. Arkansas 28; 2. UC Santa Barbara 97; 3. Northern Arizona 114; 4. USC 117; 5. Cal State L.A. 135; 6. Loyola Marymount 149; 7. Long Beach State 170; 8. Cal State San Marcos 193; 9. Southern Utah 222; 10. Air Force 250; 11. San Diego State 278; 12. UNLV 360; 13. St. Mary's College 362; 14. University of San Diego 422.
Individual Results: 1. Sarah Cotto (USC) 17:43; 2. Laura Mickelson (LMU) 17:45; 3. Jillian Rosen (Arkansaas) 17:54; 4. Dani Parry (Ark) 18:02; 5. Christine Kalmer (Ark) 18:03; 6. Megan Lewis (UCSB) 18:04; 7. Catherine White (Ark) 18:05; 8. Sharla Platt (SUU) 18:06; 9. Megan Jackson (Ark) 18:07; 10. Denise Bargiachi (Ark) 18:08; 11. Karla Alburez (CSULA) 18:09
Cal State L.A. runners:
11. Karla Alburez 18:09; 18. Maribel Cespedes 18:27; 26. Shawna Burger 18:54; 37. Liliana Hernandez 19:08; 52. Cynthia Rios 19:35; 82. Claire Weinan 20:09; 92. Dora Perez 20:29; 108. Maria Castaneda 20:51; 125. Gloria Galaz 21:41.
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