Sept. 25, 2010

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the second year in a row the South Carolina cross country team was met by record flooding as they traveled to a meet by the Mississippi River area with the 25th running of the Minnesota Griak Invitational.

Last year, the race at Ole Miss was cancelled due to the flooding on the course. This year, the interstate south of Minneapolis was closed, but the racing went on. After pumping water off the course Friday, it was dry but soft, making an already difficult course even slower. The team fought hard and finished 19th out of 29 teams racing, meeting the goal of placing in the top 20 of the strongest cross country race of the 2010 season

The field of 300 went out very fast. As is her custom, freshman Scola Jepnetich was near the lead and in front of Beatrice Biwott. Today both struggled as Beatrice ended up placing 80th and Scola dropped all the way back to 149th. However the team depth paid off as senior Ashley Evens had her best race of the season. Freshman Liz Locke and junior Nicole Rheinlander aided the team effort as they were the team’s third and fifth runner, with Scola ending the day as the team’s fourth scorer.

At the start Beatrice and Scola were in the top 40 going out very fast. Liz was in the top 100 with Ashley close behind. Nicole, Penny Boswell and Kayla Keddal were buried at the start and never were able to move up many places.

“I am really happy that the team was strong enough to overcome our top runners struggling,” South Carolina head coach Stan Rosenthal said. “During the race they stayed positive and worked hard to move up or hold their places in the field. To beat our team goal of 20th in this field was really good. This should help us at the end of the season at championship time.”

South Carolina will compete at the Charlotte Invitational next Friday afternoon at McAlpine Park. The race will run at 4 p.m.

South Carolina Finishers (Team: 19th, Average Time: 23:12)
80. Beatrice Biwott, 22:40
110. Ashley Evens, 22:58
120. Liz Locke, 23:10
129. Scola Jepngetich, 23:25
142. Nicole Rheinlander, 23:47
161. Penny Boswell, 24:12
163. Kayla Keddal, 24:16