Complete results
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The San Francisco women battled not only the top teams in the country, but went toe-to-toe with the elements in the NCAA Cross Country National Championships at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center Saturday.
Competing in conditions that included strong winds and temperatures that felt like 17 degrees with the wind chill, the field also dealt with a soft and muddy course after strong rains drenched the course in the days leading up to the championship.
"The conditions were brutal and I am proud of how they handled the race," coach Helen Lehman-Winters said, "but we just did not have the horses up front. Maor went down in the first kilometer and this cost us big in the team standings. But overall, our women competed hard today under adverse circumstances."
The Dons finished the 6,000 meter loop in 18th place with 385 points. Sophomore Elena Burkard was the first to cross the line for USF, clocking in at 20:55.2 to take 53rd overall. Bridget Dahlberg was the second Don to finish with a time of 21:10.3, and Eva Krchova crossed next for the Dons in 21:20.1. Sophie Curl and Kate Jamboretz rounded out the scorers for USF.
Maor Tiyouri, a senior from Kfar Saba, Israel, fell prey to the course with a stumble early in the race and was the sixth finisher for the Dons. Kailey Ulland, who traveled to Indiana as the alternate, got called up to compete after an injury altered the USF lineup.
Providence, who entered the race as the favorite after taking second in 2012, went on to win the team title with 141 points. The Friars bested second-place Arizona by 56 points in the standings. Individually, Dartmouth's Abbey D'Agostino finally reached the podium's pinnacle. The senior placed third to conclude her sophomore season, and earned runner-up status to finish her junior season. She outpaced Boise State's Emma Bates by nearly four seconds to take the title.
This marks USF's best result at the NCAA National Championships. The Dons finished 25th in 2011, the first appearance for the Green and Gold on the national stage.
USF Results
53. Elena Burkard - 20:55.2
78. Bridget Dahlberg - 21:10.3
103. Eva Krchova - 21:20.1
115. Sophie Curl - 21:25.3
162. Kate Jamboretz - 21:43.4
173. Maor Tiyouri - 21:50.4
252. Kailey Ulland - 23:29.2
