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Fairbanks, Alaska - Senior runner
Marit Rjabov cut more than 40 seconds off her previous course time to led the Alaska Nanooks, who finished third overall in the Alaska Cross Country Invitational women's short course event on Saturday morning at UAF's West Ridge Trails.
She finished the four-kilometer event in 16 minutes and 26.9 seconds, good for eight place as the Nanooks finished the day with 61 points, while Seattle Pacific won the team title with five of the top 7 finishers for 21 points and Black Hills State took second with 46 points.
BHS's Erin Curran won the race in 15 minutes and 11.7 seconds and she was followed by four Seattle Pacific women, Robyn Zeidler (2nd, 15:18.8), Katie Thralls (3rd, 15:29.1), Katie Morris (4th, 15:32.4) and Jasmine Johnson (16:09.1).
Heidi O'Connor-Brook crossed just after Rjabov in ninth (16:41.7) and rookie Sarah Falconer was 11th in 16:56.8. Senior
Megan Thompson and freshman
Victoria Frehill took 16th (18:43.3) and 17th (21:09.2), respectively.
Despite finishing third among the three competing teams, Dunlap was pleased with the overall effort in the two races.
"All three runners who raced last year (Marit, Heidi and Megan) took off considerable time - almost 40 seconds each - from their 2011 performances, so that's pretty impressive and cool to see," he said.
He also emphasized the program's long term goals. "Our goal all along is to run well at the end of the season – at GNACs and regions – and that's still our focus this year."
The team will train next week for their Ester Dome 5k next Saturday at 11 a.m.
