Women's Cross Country opens 2018 season with a victory at the Bluffton 5k

August 31, 2018

By Scott Beaton

BLUFFTON — The Ohio Northern women's cross country team began the 2018 campaign by winning the Bluffton 5k at the Bluffton Nature Reserve on Friday evening.

The Polar Bears (5-0) took four out of the top seven places and eight out of the top 13 places en route to victory.

ONU scored 31 points, Findlay took second with 69 points, and Bluffton placed third with 81 points.

Freshman Elizabeth Whitmore (Mason) finished fourth in 19:53.34 to lead Northern.

Senior Kristina Myers (Grove City/Central Crossing), freshman Tessa Pitcovich (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls), and sophomore Megan Wright (Eaton/Twin Valley South) were separated by a mere 7.44 seconds to take fifth in 20:11.61, sixth in 20:14.01, and seventh in 20:19.05, respectively.

Junior Kathleen Colvin (Hilliard/Bishop Ready) rounded out ONU's scorers by finishing in 20:26.52, good for ninth overall.

Sophomore Chyanne Retcher (Ney/Fairview) and senior Avery Ewing (Kokomo, Ind./Eastern) completed the top-7 for ONU. Retcher ran a 20:36.15 to finish 11th and Ewing a 20:38.73 to place 12th.

The Polar Bears will return to action on Sept. 8 at the Calvin (Mich.) Knight Invitational.

Team Standings

1. Ohio Northern 31, 2. Findlay 69, 3. Bluffton 81, 4. Indiana Kokomo 84, 5. Ohio Christian 106, 6. Lourdes 152

Top 5 Individuals

1. Gabrielle Lawrence (Findlay), 2. Alyssa Turrentine (Ohio Christian), 3. Brittany Sloan (Indiana Kokomo), 4. Elizabeth Whitmore (Ohio Northern), 5. Kristina Myers (Ohio Northern)

Ohio Northern Individual Results

4. Elizabeth Whitmore 19:53.34, 5. Kristina Myers 20:11.61, 6. Tessa Pitcovich 20:14.01, 7. Megan Wright 20:19.05, 9. Kathleen Colvin 20:26.52, 11. Chyanne Retcher 20:36.15, 12. Avery Ewing 20:38.73, 13. Sophia Thompson 20:59.62, 17. Kylie Vestal 21:09.15, 19. Angie Sullivan 21:19.09, 23. Taylor Ellerbrock 21:43.11, 28. Elizabeth Steele 22:24.18, 30. Michaela Fox 22:41.69, 39. Janelle Posthuma 23:30.94, 40. Karsen Bresnahan 23:42.24, 45. Jocelyn Reinhart 24:21.85, 48. Lauren Trace 26:12.29.