Women Second; Men Fourth At CC Invite

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Using a slightly younger roster and resting some of the top runners, the University of Northern Colorado women's cross country team was still able to put together a second-place finish at the Colorado College Invitational on Saturday. The Bears finished with 57 points, while host CC won the six-kilometer event with 39 points. The NC men's team finished in fourth place with 100 points.

Brianna Spletstoser led the women, finishing fourth overall and second among collegians with a time of 24:30, while Erin Apsey was seventh among collegians and 12^th overall in 25:17. The quartet of Jacqueline Lomax (26:30), Megan Horsch (26:41), Adrianne Larson (26:59) and Rachel Forrest (27:03) all crossed the finish line in order, in 25^th through 28^th, respectively. Lisa Drew was 36^th overall in 27:55 and Sari Little rounded out the competitors for the Bears in 40^th with a time of 28:31.

Charles Hillig, running his first race in over a year in an NC uniform, led the men's team with a sixth place finish (fourth among collegians), clocking a 26:38 over the five-mile course. Ben Corchado and Matt Belasco were 38^th and 39^th in times of 29:43 and 29:50, respectively, while Dylan Hedges placed 42^nd in 29:55 and Joe Slack rounded out the scoring in 45^th (29:59). Matt Hernandez (66, 31:06), Travis Stanford (77, 32:23) and Joe Pummer (78, 32:23) also competed for the Bears.

Northern Colorado takes next week off before returning to action on Oct. 4 at the Rocky Mountain Shootout, hosted by the University of Colorado.

Women's Results (scoring finish in parentheses) - 6 kilometers

4 (2)           Brianna Spletstoser         24:30

12 (4)         Erin Apsey                           25:17

25 (16)      Jacqueline Lomax            26:30

26 (17)      Megan Horsch                   26:41

27 (18)      Adrianne Larson               26:59

28 (19)      Rachel Forrest                   27:03

36 (22)      Lisa Drew                             27:55

40               Sari Little                              28:31

Men's Results - 5 miles

6 (4)           Charles Hillig                       26:38

38 (21)      Ben Corchado                    29:43

39 (22)      Matt Belasco                      29:50

42 (25)      Dylan Hedges                    29:55

45 (28)      Joe Slack                              29:59

66 (41)      Matt Hernandez               31:06

77 (48)      Travis Stanford                  32:23

78               Joe Pummer                      32:23