Women's Cross-Country takes runner-up at OWU Invite
By Bud Denega
ADA — The Ohio Northern women's cross-country team placed second as a team at the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational Saturday at Liberty Park in Powell, Ohio. The Polar Bears accumulated 33 points, six points behind meet champion Kenyon.
"It was another solid race for us," head coach Jason Maus said. "We ran well as a pack and we were aggressive at the start. This was a good step and we gained valuable experience running in the front of a race."
Sophomore Tessa Pitcovich (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) paced Northern, crossing fourth of 99 runners in a career-low 23:29.4. Junior teammate Megan Wright (Eaton/Twin Valley South) was hot on her heels, placing fifth in a time of 23:34.7.
Senior Kathleen Colvin (Hilliard/Bishop Ready) took seventh overall, clocking in at 23:35.0, while senior Madeleine Routhier (West Unity/Hilltop) and junior Chyanne Retcher (Ney/Fairview) rounded out ONU's top five, placing eighth and ninth overall with times of 23:52.2 and 23:57.3, respectively.
Sophomores Taylor Ellerbrock (Columbus Grove) and Rue Whitmore (Mason) finished 12th and 13th overall. Ellerbrock recorded a time of 24:09.3, and Whitmore ran a 24:12.2.
Denison took third as a team, scoring 117 points. Wilmington placed fourth with 118 points, and host OWU finished fifth with 132 points.
The Polar Bears return to competition Sept. 28 at the All-Ohio Championships in Cedarville.
Team Standings
1. Kenyon 27, 2. Ohio Northern 33, 3. Denison 117, 4. Wilmington 118, 5. Ohio Wesleyan 132, Bluffton 138, Wittenberg 161, Earlham 222, Muskingum 291
Top 5 Individuals
1. Emma Becker (Kenyon) 22:52.9, 2. Gracie Moses (Kenyon) 23:17.1, 3. Chloe Hall (Kenyon) 23:19.8, 4. Tessa Pitcovich (Ohio Northern) 23:29.4, 5. Megan Wright (Ohio Northern) 23:34.7.
Ohio Northern Individual Results
4. Tessa Pitcovich 23:29.4, 5. Megan Wright 23:34.7, 7. Kathleen Colvin 23:35.0, 8. Madeleine Routhier 23:52.2, 9. Chyanne Retcher 23:57.3, 11. Taylor Ellerbrock 24.09.3, 12. Rue Whitmore 24:12.2, 13. Kylie Vestal 24.18.0, 19. Michaela Fox 24:49.0, 25. Sophia Thompson 25:10.8, 32. Lexi Neff 25:32.7, 37. Gabrielle Kowalczyk 25:42.6, 68. Lauren Trace 28:04.1, 69. Erica Mobley 28:06.6, 71. Karsen Bresnahan 28:17.3, 73. Taylor Fisher 28:21.5.