Anna Hrushka ran a career-best time of 18:00.7 and claimed a seventh-place finish in a field of 190 runners. Shorter University’s Justyna Mudy was the winner of the 5K Gold Race with a time of 17:10.2.
Joining Hrushka in the top 15 was Victoria Yates. Yates finished 12th overall (18:07.0)
Senior Erin Wasserfall (18:44.0) finished 33rd and Maggie Opelt (18:51.2) was 40th.
Freshman Emily Arneson came in at 148th with a time of 21:24.5. Kristin Cretton (115th, 21:40.0), Elizabeth Gean (175th, 22:39.6) and Hannah Ervin (177th, 22:48.7) rounded out the Lee runners.
“A Lady Flames cross-country team has never run as fast (four runners under 19 minutes) as they did on Friday at the McAlpine Park course in Charlotte,” coach Don Jayroe noted. “I knew that they were ready to run well, but these athletes are lining up on the starting line, knowing that they are on a team that each member is dependent upon one another.”
In the men’s race, Lee placed 17th out of 23 teams from NCAA I, II and NAIA. Host Queens University (ranked No. 7 in NCAA DII) was the Gold Race winner.
Meshak Koyiaki of Columbus (Ga.) State University was the winner of the individual race. Koyiaki finished the 8K race in a time of 24:12.0.
Will Jayroe (66th) was Lee’s top finisher with a time of 26:15.7. Steven Snyder joined Jayroe in the top 100 with a 95th-place finish (26:38.1).
Freshman Hilary Cheruiyot was 130th (27:17.1), Adam Haney finished 136th (27:23.6) and Cole Whitaker recorded a time of 27:39.6 (151st). Zach Orrison (198th, 30:38.1) was the final Lee runner to cross the finish line.
For all race results, go to www.queensathletics.com/documents/2010/10/15/10-15-10_wxc_Queens_Gold_Women.pdf?id=752.
Lee will be in action again Saturday as it travels to Mount Berry, Ga., for the Southeast Classic.
Golf Flames settle for 8th
SILVIS, Ill. — Paced by a one-under par 70 by Hunter Vest, the Lee golf team came battling back on Friday in the second round of the NAIA Preview Invitational, but still only managed an eighth-place finish in the 18-team field.
The event always represents a preview to the NAIA National Tournament in the spring and gives the clubs an indication of how well it must play the tough TPC at Deere Run course. Lee’s final 612 total was 26 strokes off the pace set by the winning Grand View (Iowa) team.
After firing a 312 during Thursday’s opening round, the Flames came in with an even 300 on Friday. Vest improved by seven strokes. He had a 77-70 – 147 and shot eight strokes better than the next Lee golfer.
Tyler Smith came in at 76-79 – 155. JB Eksteen stood at 78-79 – 157. Sam Bedwell had an 81 on Thursday but came back with a 76 on Friday for a 157. The biggest improvement of the day by a Flame came from Jeremy Lawson. After a discouraging 84 on Thursday, Lawson improved by nine strokes in the final round and a 159 score.
St. Ambrose was the leader after the first round but settled for a second-place team finish (587). Viterbo, another first-round leader slipped to a 298 on Friday and came in with a third-place 591. The University of the Cumberlands was fourth (594) and Shorter College rounded out the top five (605).
Eighteen teams took part on the par 71 course. Josh Manske of Grand View conquered the 6,625 yard layout with a 72-69- 141.
The Flames will complete the fall season on Nov. 2 when they travel to the Gulf Coast and take part in the Mobile Fall Classic.
Soccer Flames get stung
MARIETTA, Ga. — The Lee men's soccer team watched a 2-1 lead slip away in the second half and dropped a 3-2 decision to the Hornets of Southern Polytechnic State University on Saturday afternoon.
Both clubs entered the SSAC East battle with a 2-0 league mark. With the win, Southern Poly improves to 6-3-2 overall, while Lee drops to 6-8-1.
The Flames took a 1-0 lead at the half on a score Fernando Barriga. Nathan Brown assisted. SPSU came out with more fire in the second half, according to Lee coach Henry Moyo and tied the contest at 1. Lee came fighting back and senior Brown put his team back on top 2-1. Sebastian Lara got the assist.
The Hornets, apparently stung by Brown's score, bounced back to tie the struggle at 2, and then took over the lead for the time at the 15-minute mark.
“We really stuck with our game plan, “especially in the first half,” said Moyo. “Southern Poly put a lot of pressure on us in the second half and we made a couple of mistakes that really hurt us. Overall, I was pleased with the way we played. We can take come good points from this match and try and get ready for another SSAC game at Truett-McConnell on Tuesday.”
