Belles take forward step in weekend meet
By MOLLY McVOY
Assistant Sports Editor
Teamwork was key in a solid performance by the Saint Mary's cross-country team this weekend at the GC-Ponderosa Invitational.
Even missing top runner Casey Kinsella, who was absent from the meet, the Belles finished eighth out of 11 teams in the meet.
"I was ecstatic about how the meet went," said head coach Dave Barstis. "Everyone had their best time of the season."
Going into this weekend's meet, the team's goal was to return to the pack-running style characteristic of last season.
"Our one-five split was 34 seconds and that was our goal," Barstis said.
The top finisher for Saint Mary's was senior Genevieve Yavello, who posted a time of 22 minutes, 25 seconds. Freshman Jessican Millanes, freshman Erin Thayer, sophomore Megan Tenney and junior Melissa Goss followed Yavello across the finish line. Yavello and Goss finished 41st and 47th, achieving the pack running effect the team was looking for.
"[Goss] looked the best she's looked in two years," Barsits said.
Barsits also credits much of the success to the Saint Mary's runners who usually finish sixth or seventh for the team, Millanes and Tenney.
"Our No. 6 and No. 7 runners really stepped up," Barstis said. "Jessica is usually our No. 7 runner and she had a great race."
Millanes could not quite put her finger on what the difference was between this meet and other meets this season.
"I don't quite know what it was," Millanes said. "I just went out and felt good and just stayed with that."
Spring Arbor College won the meet. Hillsdale College and Kalamazoo College finished second and third, respectively.
Despite the success of the pack running approach, the Belles were not in the running for a top finish. This fact, Barstis feels, is due to one or two standouts from competitors that Saint Mary's lacks.
"If you look at the results, the top teams won because they had one runner up in the top 25," Barstis said. "We just didn't have that."
Barsits said, however, that the team as a whole is becoming very competitive.
"It takes seven runners to do really well," Barstis said. "Given the fact that [Millanes] and [Goss] had such good races, I think we're in good shape. Our goal is to have everyone peak at the MIAA championships and we're well on our way."
The Belles travel to Manchester for the Manchester Invitational Friday.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, October 10, 2000
