TACOMA, Wash. -- Alauna Carstens (Jr.) from The Evergreen State College took first place in the women's 6-kilometer race at the PLU Invitational in cross country on Saturday, Sept. 20. Max Baeder (Jr.) was Evergreen's top finisher in the men's 8-kilometer race as he earned 18th place. The meet was held on the Pacific Lutheran University campus.
"I'm really proud of the family today!" said Evergreen Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joel Pearson. "We had several personal bests and all-time top 25 performances, along with a great victory from Alauna!
"Luis had a massive breakthrough today with a 35-second personal best in less than great conditions," Pearson added. I'm really excited to see his summer training pay off."
Carstens won the women's race with a time of 21:19.9. She won the race by 30.6 seconds. Emily Foote from George Fox University was second in 21:50.5 and Fiona Fraser, competing unattached, placed third in 21:59.1 Breanna Schmitt of GFU took fourth place at 22:31.3. Malia Heien from Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) placed fifth in 22:31.5.
The Geoducks were seventh in the women's team standing with a score of 173. Izabelle Trefts (Sr.) was Evergreen's second runner to cross the finish line. She was timed at 24:43 for 43rd place overall and 35th among scorers. Sherlyn Perales (So.) placed 55th for the Geoducks in 25:19.3. Sylvie Biersack (Fr.) was 64th overall in 25:42.2 and Soleil Bianchi (Jr.) placed 65th with a time of 25:43.7 Also competing for Evergreen in the women's race were Mara Schwenneker (Jr.) and Maddie Morgan (Sr.). A total of 135 runners completed the women's 6K race.
George Fox claimed the women's team title with a score of 38 (2-3-7-11-15). Whitworth University was second with a score of 57 and Pacific University (Oregon) was third at 89. University of Puget Sound placed fourth at 133 and Willamette University was fifth at 159. Central Washington University also scored 159 while taking sixth place. Eleven teams fielded full squads, and an additional four teams did not have five finishers.
In the men's race, Baeder completed the eight kilometers in 26:27.5 to register his 18th place finish. Luis Esquivel (So.) placed 37th with a time of 26:57.6. Jaydon Blackburn (Jr.) was 54th in 27:43.0. Also running for the Geoducks were Evan Williams (Sr.), Osvaldo Calderon (So.), Will Niskanen (Jr.), Nathaniel Sanchez (Fr.), Daniel Sanchez (Fr.), and Charles Norris (So.).
The men's individual title went to London Haley from Whitworth with a time of 24:54.6. Jack McManus of Whitman College was second in 25:02.0. Douglas Bryant, running unattached, placed third in 25:16.3 and Quinn Higgins from Lewis & Clark placed fourth in 25:31.1. Unattached athlete Colin Monaghan was fifth at 25:38.6.
George Fox took the men's team title with a score of 53 (6-10-11-12-14). Whitworth placed second at 103. Lewis & Clark also registered a score of 103 and placed third. Whitman was fourth at 110 and Willamette was fifth at 161. Evergreen was listed seventh in the men's team standings with a score of 226. A total of 11 teams were fully entered in the men's race, while four other teams did not have five finishers.
The Evergreen cross country teams will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the 50th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational. The meet will be held at Bush's Pasture Park in Salem, Oregon.