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| Shaq-less cross country team wins at LSU |
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by Alexander Higbee
As the only Texas team at the Louisiana State University Invitational in Baton Rouge, La., last weekend, the Rice women's cross country team had a lot to represent. After thrashing teams from nearly all the schools in Louisiana as well as the University of Southern Mississippi, Rice kept the Lone Star State's reputation intact and walked away with the first-place trophy. Placing three runners in the top 10, Rice placed first of nine teams with 47 points, 23 fewer than second-place finisher McNeese State University of Lake Charles, La. Without junior Shaquandra Roberson, their best runner, the Owls came into this meet at less than full strength. The former Western Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week has a knee injury and is doubtful for the rest of the season, according to Head Coach Jim Bevan. "We're doing the best we can without her," he said this week. Fortunately, the Owls have a team that can perform well even without its top runner. "We ran better than we did last week at [the University of] North Texas," Bevan said. "We went in thinking we could win, and on paper we should have won." Sophomore Erin Brand placed first for the Owls and fourth overall with a time of 17 minutes, 47 seconds. The performance netted her WAC women's cross-country runner of the week honors. Three seconds behind her was senior Kari Vigerstol, the Owls' top finisher last week, who took fifth place overall. "The race started out pretty fast, and Erin and I stayed behind the pack and worked our way up," Vigerstol said. Brand added, "Kari and I worked together and went after it at the end." Coming in third for Rice was freshman Katie Waite, running 18:38 for ninth place overall. Bevan said Waite made "a big improvement over the North Texas meet." Behind Waite was sophomore Malia Mason, who took 11th place in 18:40, followed by seniors Rebecca Nugent (17th in 19:00), Alexis Smith (20th in 19:04) and Heather Howard (23rd in 19:16). The Owls' main goal for this year, getting to NCAA Nationals in Lawrence, Kan., seems within reach. Rice is ranked fourth in the South Central Region (which includes Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana), behind the University of Texas and nationally ranked teams from the University of Arkansas (No. 5) and Baylor University (No. 21). But before they can get to Kansas, they have three meets to work through in the upcoming month. Their biggest nonchampionship meet is coming up this Saturday in Tampa, Fla. All but one of the Division I schools from Florida will be there, including the No. 19 University of South Florida, as well as the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee, who also received votes in the national rankings. After that, the Owls have a weekend off to rest before the WAC Championships are here at Rice Oct. 31, followed by the District VI Championships in Denton Nov. 14. Rice is hoping to repeat their third-place finish at the WAC Championships and improve on their fifth-place finish at the District meet last year. "The team is pretty much on track," Vigerstol said.
This item appeared in the Sports section of the October 16, 1998 issue. |
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