The women's cross country team finished the Conn. College Invitational with a third−place result out of 17 squads on a windy day at Harkness Memorial State Park. With senior tri−captain Anya Price back in action after sitting out the previous race, the Jumbos were able to place two runners in the top five and four in the top 20.
Though the Jumbos were the defending champions in the meet, Rutgers came in with a great squad and was able to take the team title, finishing with just 48 points. Plattsburgh State, ranked 14th nationally in Div. III, edged out Tufts for the second spot with 56 points, while the Jumbos' scorers managed a total 64 points. Stefanie Braun of Plattsburgh State broke away from Brianna Deming of Rutgers in the final half−mile to take the individual title in 21:45 over the 6k course.
With their eyes set on the Plattsburgh State runners in an effort to test themselves against the top−ranked team in the country, the Jumbos knew they would have to rely on each other for support on the course as much as possible. On a wide−open course, the Jumbos had no trouble keeping in touch.
"After last weekend, we realized what was going to separate us from other teams," Price said. "We needed to run the race together and use each other. Because it was a small meet and the course is great for seeing who is up ahead, it was a great opportunity to chase teammates and run with them."
Price and junior tri−captain Lilly Fisher were able to work together well, running the majority of the course side−by−side before Price hammered down in the final half−mile. Price finished third overall in 22:19, while Fisher finished fifth in 22:41. The remaining scorers for the Jumbos were a trio of sophomores who have played a crucial role in bolstering the team throughout the season.
Madeleine Carey led the way for the underclassmen, finishing 17th overall in 23:03, with Abby Barker right behind her in 23:09. Lauren Creath was the final scorer for the squad, coming in at 23:16 — good for 21st place. Though the trio finished within 13 seconds of each other, they did not stick together throughout the race in the way that they had planned and trained for.
"I knew Lauren was right behind me for most of the race and I was able to hear people cheering for her and Abby right behind me," Carey said. "The three of us were all close together and we knew we were all there, but it may have helped being tighter together. We have very different racing styles so it's tough to find the right balance to get a tight pack."
With some of the girls going out faster than others, Price thinks that it will be important for some racers to extend their comfort zone to help their teammates.
"This is the point in the season when everyone has to start pushing themselves as hard as they can," Price said. "That might involve going out faster to stick with teammates and get engaged in a faster pack than we might be used to. In order for our team to reach our goals it is going to take a concerted effort on everyone's part to really push our limits."
The next two Tufts runners to cross the finish line were sophomore Laura Peterson and junior Julia Hajnoczky. Peterson was 35th in 23:34 with Hajnoczky right on her heels, finishing 37th in 23:36. Peterson's strong finish, right behind the trio of scoring sophomores, showed the depth of the sophomore class. Still young and full of talent, the class of 2014 has great potential for the coming weeks as well as into the distant future.
"It is really cool that we are able to run well and contribute to the top seven together," Carey said. "We know each other very well and it provides a special type of pride that really motivates us to be as good of a core as possible. We still have two years to go after this one and I think we are going to be able to do some great things both in the future and the rest of this season."
The top runners have next weekend off before heading to Amherst for the NESCAC Championships, while the rest of the team travels back to Franklin Park — where they raced on Sept. 24 in the Codfish Bowl — for the Mayor's Cup. With the extra time, it is easy for athletes to get anxious, but the Jumbos know that keeping their emotions in check will be vital to their success.
"We need to manage our nerves and focus on the task at hand," Carey said. "It is important that, as a team, we are conscious of helping each other stay focused and stay confident as we enter the championship season."
