CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Six points. That was all that separated the 2018 NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championship runner-up Madonna University women's cross country team and the national champion Owls of Oregon Tech.
The Crusaders, who entered the race ranked fourth in the NAIA, got career-best races from five of their top six runners, which included a trio of All-American performances from Alison Shapic, Christina Murphy and Mackenzie Gurne.
Madonna went out fast and held the lead after the first mile, but fell back to fourth at the second mile checkpoint. At mile three the Crusaders dropped the team score from 162 to 135, but couldn't quite make up all the ground on the Owls.
Shapic placed 13th for the Blue and Gold with a time of 17:50.4, it's the first time she's bested 18:00 minutes in her career and is a 34 second career best. Murphy, who was one spot shy of an All-American medal last season, placed 14th in 17:51.4 which also marked her first time under 18 minutes and was a 22 second personal best. Gurne placed 28th with a time of 18:00.9 which is a 22 second PR for the junior. All three runners broke the previous school record of 18:12.
Kateri Mills, whose impressive time at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships helped MU win the program's first conference title, finished 47th in 18:18.9, her first time under 19 minutes and a 48 second personal best for the sophomore.
Kathleen George's 43 points for her 47th-place finish rounded out the team score of 132 (13-14-23-39-43). The sophomore finish in 18:22.9, just shy of a career best, but was her fastest time this season. Her sister, Caroline George PR'd by 20 seconds with a 70th place finish with a time of 18:29.4.
Freshman Jana Hossein rounded out the team scoring, the lone runner that didn't compete at last year's event for MU, with a 244th place finish in 19:50.0, two seconds shy of a season best.
Anna Shields of Point Park won the race with a time of 17:15.9 and Alexis Miller of Aquinas College was the top WHAC finisher as she placed sixth in 17:37.3. Oregon Tech won the team title with 126 points, with Madonna second and Taylor University (Ind.) (134 points) third. Southern Oregon placed fourth with 192 points and SCAD-Atlanta (Ga.) rounded out the top five with 241 points.
The race wraps up the season for the Crusaders who will take some time off before ramping back up for Indoor Track and Field season which begins with the Tiffin Open on Saturday, Dec. 1.
CONNECT WITH THE CRUSADERS: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
SUBSCRIBE/DOWNLOAD TEAM SCHEDULES: Download Center
