WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Southern Vermont College women's cross country team ran its final regular season race Saturday, participating at Williams College's Plansky Invitational at Mount Greylock Regional High School.
The Mountaineers used the meet as a final competitive preparation for next week's New England Collegiate Conference Championship, running on the same 5,000 meter course that they'll face for the third time this year at November 7's Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championship.
SVC was led by junior captain Shelby Whitman (Bennington, Vt.) who crossed with a time of 21:44.5, running in tandem with Bennington College sophomore Annika Kristiansen (Keene, N.H.) who was right behind at 21:47.9; those marks were good enough to place 24th and 25th, respectively, in the tough field through cold, windy conditions. BC sophomore Isabella Poulos (Milwaukee, Wis.) finished third for the Mountaineers, taking over two seconds off her previous best time for a new 23:57.8 personal record.
Southern Vermont's six remaining runners finished in additional pairings, the first seeing senior Emily Freling (Schenevus, N.Y.) come through with junior Emily Lesure (Cheshire, Mass.) for the two to finish at 25:11. Freshmen Morgan Arleth (Berlin, Vt.) and Morgan Kaeppel (Vernon, Vt.) were next to finish consecutively, Arleth crossing just five seconds ahead with a mark of 27:19. Senior Ashley Perrino (Schenectady, N.Y.) was then about four seconds ahead of junior Kaylee Cross (Lewis, N.Y.), crossing at 32:14.8
Southern Vermont now turns to its final week of practice before the NECC Championship next Saturday, October 31 at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass. The 5k that will be hosted by the Mountaineers is set to take place after the men's 8k, start time scheduled for 11 a.m.
Southern Vermont
24th – Shelby Whitman: 21:44.5
25th – Annika Kristiansen: 21:47.9
53rd – Isabella Poulos: 23:57.8 (PR)
63rd – Emily Freling: 25:11.2
64th – Emily Lesure: 25:11.5
68th – Morgan Arleth: 27:19.0
69th – Morgan Kaeppel: 27:24.1
71st – Ashley Perrino: 32:14.8
72nd – Kaylee Cross: 32:18.6