At ECAC's, Jumbos Make PRs Across the Board

With personal records from all seven Tufts competitors, the women's cross country team placed eighth of 45 teams at the ECAC Championship this weekend, with 281 points. The Jumbos hosted the race at the 6K Farm Course in Grafton.

The top seven Jumbos did not participate, as coach Kristen Morwick opted to rest their legs for next weekend's decisive NCAA qualifiers. Many other schools took the same route, which gave teams that did run varsity runners -- like third-place Keene State, fourth-place Coast Guard, and sixth-place Vassar -- a considerable advantage.

Before she knew that some schools would race top seven runners, Morwick had hoped that Tufts could take third place.

Morwick said that squads racing some of their top runners were likely trying to decide who to run in the upcoming national qualifiers, or were simply gunning to take the ECAC championship, rather than focusing on the coming weeks. Regardless of each team's motivation, the participation of top seven runners was likely the reason that certain schools were able to finish so high in the overall results.

"I think that some of the teams ahead of us, other than Williams and Middlebury, were there because they had some of their varsity kids in the race," Morwick said.

Williams, the defending national champion, captured the ECAC title with their second seven, by accruing only 55 points and placing all five scorers in the top 22. Recently-crowned NESCAC champ Middlebury was the runner-up with 60 points, and third-place Keene State had 76 points.

Tufts finished fifth among the NESCAC schools, which bettered their seventh-place performance at the league meet last weekend. Amherst and Wesleyan, two schools that beat Tufts at NESCAC's, did not fare as well as the Jumbos at ECAC's. Amherst (294) was one spot behind Tufts, and Wesleyan (387) was far back, in 16th. Each of those squads had at least one top seven runner participating.

As expected, top Jumbo finishers were senior tri-captain Katie Higley and freshman Angie Lee. The pair crossed the line almost simultaneously and placed 49th and 50th respectively, with times of 25:04.13 and 25:05.35 minutes. They will be Tufts' alternates at next weekend's Div. III New England meet in Cumberland, Maine.

"Higs ran an awesome final race of her senior year," Morwick said. She added that both Higley and Lee ran far faster than they did last time they raced at Grafton, at the Tufts Invitational on September 27. In fact, all seven Jumbos achieved course PRs this weekend.

"From one to seven, each person ran significantly faster than they have on a 6K before," Morwick said. "Everyone had big jumps. It's a nice way to finish up the season."

Freshman Julia Goldberg improved not only in her time, but also in where she placed among Tufts runners--third. Goldberg was 58th in a time of 25:16.89, just seconds ahead of junior Liz Bloomhardt, who was 63rd in 25:23.79.

Senior Katie Mason took about 40 seconds off her Farm Course PR, placing 71st in 25:31.35. Freshman Jennifer Torpey was 105th in 26:24.95, and freshman Caroline Chow was 111th in 26:28.96.

Morwick praised her team's performances, especially because they were unable to get in a full taper prior to the meet, as would have been optimal. Tufts' second seven had to train as if their 'big meet' was Div. III's next weekend, because the top seven wasn't solidified until last weekend.

"For not having the full benefit of cutting back, as they should have for a championship meet, they did great," Morwick said.

Higley said that mental factors and teamwork were the keys to Tufts' speed.

"At this point in the season, you've got all the training behind you, and you just have to keep it together up top," Higley said. "We went out really hard together and tried to stay in a pack the whole time, to really feed off each other."

Looking ahead to Div III's and possibly nationals, Higley added, "That's what we need to do next weekend. And I know we can do it."