Sept. 20, 2014
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CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Missouri State cross country team competed in their second meet of the season Saturday morning at the 2014 Saluki Invitational. The Bears finished third in the same course that the Missouri Valley Conference will be using at the MVC Championships in November.
Head coach Jordan Fife’s Bears lowered their average time from their inaugural meet. Missouri State averaged 20:40.77 on Saturday as compared to the 21:23.81 averaged at the Walt Crawford Open two weeks ago.
MSU was led once again by Jessica Allen's 10th place finish. Allen’s 19:20.07 was only topped by runners from Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, the two schools who placed ahead of Missouri State in the final team results.
“Jessi was able to run another P.R. on a more challenging course,” said Fife. “Overall, most of the team had a 20-30 second improvement from last meet and we were able to add Oliviah and Savannah into the mix for their first competition of the season.”
Cindy Forde (20:33.00) placed 23rd overall in the 56-athlete field. Oliviah Sloan (21:09.37), Tenaly Smith (21:10.38), and Kaitlyn Cravens (21:11.02) finished consecutively at 31st, 32nd, and 33rd.
“We are getting better every day, but there is still a lot of work to do,” added Fife.
Hosts Southern Illinois won the meet, sweeping the men’s and women’s competition. The Saluki women’s 18:05.53 topped runner-ups SE Missouri average time of 18:57.72. The top Class B - Non Division 1 team finishers were Webster (21:48.04), Missouri Baptist (22:04.80), and Brescia (22:13.84).
Missouri State will compete next at the Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence Kan. Race time is 10 a.m. on Oct. 18.
