Top 5 Trio Leads To Jamestown Win
Concordia had three runners in the Top 5, and three more in the Top 13, as they claimed the team title at the Jamestown Invite.
STORY LINE: Junior Kara Andersen continued to lead Concordia in 2018 as she won the Jamestown Invitational and helped the Cobbers win the team title. Andersen was one of three Concordia athletes to place in the Top 5 of the meet as CC finished the meet with 26 team points which was 29 ahead of runner-up Dickinson State.
THE WINNERS CIRCLE: The victory by the Cobbers is the second of the season at a multi-team meet. Concordia also claimed the crown at the season-opening Cobber Invite. It's the first away-from-home victory since they won the Valley City Invite in 2013.
APPLAUSE FOR ANDERSEN: Kara Andersen has led the Cobbers at every meet this fall. She crossed the line at the Jamestown 5K in a time of 19:01 which is 30 seconds faster than her time last year when she finished 18th at the same meet. It is the second event win of the year for Andersen and her finishing time is the fastest in a 5K this season.
MILLER TIME: Sophomore Meritt Miller was the team's No.2 finisher on the day as she crossed the line in a time of 19:09. She was less than two seconds out of second place which was recorded by Grace Miller of Valley City State. The third-place finish is the best of her career and it marks the second straight meet which she has been the team's No.2 runner.
TOP 13 TOUGH: While placing three runners in the Top 5 at the meet might make the headline the even more impressive feat was that Concordia had six athletes finish in the Top 13. Senior Brianna Gruenberg was the final member of the Top 5 trio as she finished fifth in a time of 19:19. Miriah Forness, Emily Rugloski and Tarja Nelsen helped one another along the course and finished within five seconds of each other at the No.11, 12 and 13 spots. Forness was 11th in a time of 19:56 while Rugloski was 12th at 19:59 and Nelsen came home in 20:01 and finished in 13th place. It's the first time that Forness and Rugloski have broken the 20-minute barrier on the season and the 20:01 for Nelsen is also a season best.
UP NEXT: Concordia will have a shorter time to recover as they will participate in the University of North Dakota Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 12:30 a.m.