Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Roy Griak Invitational
Wildcats Place 12th at Roy Griak
9/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Sept. 28, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Northwestern women's cross country team accomplished one of its goals Saturday at the Roy Griak Invitational. Prior to the race, head coach Amy Tush said she wanted all of her top five within the first 100 individuals.
She got better than that, as seven women scored fewer than 100 points. However, the Wildcats finished 12th in the 22-team field at one of the Midwest's most prestigious early-season meets.
Michigan State, ranked ninth in the latest national poll, took the team title with 72 points, finishing 25 points ahead of No. 19 Arizona State.
Among Big Ten teams, Indiana placed fifth with 153 points, while 28th-ranked Minnesota, the host school, finished just ahead of the Wildcats in 11th with 250 points. NU scored 272 points.
Rachel Evjen (Eau Claire, Wis./North), who missed NU's first meet two weeks ago, bounced back to finish first among the Wildcats' runners Saturday. The senior, who has been NU's top runner in every race she has run since her sophomore year, clocked 21:58.6 over the 6-kilometer course to place 30th overall.
Nicole Kuznia (Olivia, Minn./BOLD), who won the Illinois State Invitational two weeks ago, was next across the finish line for NU. She scored 48 points in 22:16.4, and was followed closely by Diana Hossfeld (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar) who was 49th in 22:19.6.
Laura Evans (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg) and Karen Rogers (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) were Northwestern's other scorers Saturday. Evans scored 63 points in 22:31.6, while Rogers scored 82 points in 22:57.3.
Michigan State's Michelle Carson won the individual title, in 20:41.6.
Click here for a complete listing of the results from today's meet.
NU Runners at the Griak (first five scored in the meet)
30. Rachel Evjen, 21:58.6
48. Nicole Kuznia, 22:16.4
49. Diana Hossfeld, 22:19.6
63. Laura Evans, 22:31.6
82. Karen Rogers, 22:57.3
85. Emily Blakeslee, 23:00.5
98. Kyna Forkins, 23:16.2
115. Nora Colligan, 23:20.6
125. Kalysta Harmon, 23:28.8
157. Catie LaBracke, 24:16.2
158. Lindsay McAlister, 24:16.5
168. Caroline Speirs, 24:34.6
