Women’s:
Women’s cross-country team finishes third at George Kyte Invitational behind NAU and UA on Saturday afternoon.The team competed in the second event of the day, a 2.96-mile run in Flagstaff, running a combined time of 1:28:23.80 with an average time of 17.40.76.
ASU freshman Chelsey Totten, recorded the sixth best overall time of the afternoon on the women’s side and the top overall time for ASU competitors with an average mile time of 5:52.7.
In the first meet of the season Totten said she was excited to get off to a good start.
“I wasn’t thinking that much, I just wanted to go out and have fun with my team,” Totten said.
Totten said the result of Saturday’s meet gives her more confidence for the rest of the season. She also said that the elevation in Flagstaff was not a big concern for her because of her training in the summer.
“It’s nothing different, I didn’t think about the elevation and it was just going to be another day,” she said.
ASU women’s coach Ryan Cole said they wanted to get an opportunity to get into a race setting and run hard together.
Cole said he also wanted to give the freshmen some experience in this first meet.
“I thought the freshmen did a great job getting in there, running with their teammates and competing well,” Cole said.
Cole said that the first meet is a starting point and wants to build on this performance.
“It’s the first race of the year and I don’t read too much into it because it’s the beginning of September, Cold said. “The races that are really important to us are at the beginning of November.”
Men’s:
The ASU men’s cross-country team started the season off in impressive fashion as they go on to edge UA to take second place at the George Kyte Invitational.The men’s team finished the 4.96-mile race with a combined time of 2:07:38.40 to fall just short NAU’s time of 2:06:09.30.
ASU finished with three members in the top 10 standings.
The best time of any ASU athlete on the day belonged to sophomore Ryan Herson with the No. 2 spot with an average mile of 5:01.7. Freshman Bernie Montoya topped out at no.10 with a an average mile-time of 5:11.8 and junior Garrett Baker-Slama finished in the top 5 with an average mile-time of 5:04.5.
Herson said he didn’t change much in his preparation for the Flagstaff race.
“It’s always a little tougher running in the elevation but I came into like it was any other race,” he said.
Men’s coach Louie Quintana was satisfied with the performance of his group on Saturday.
“I was stunned how fast Ryan Herson ran," Quintana said. "Ryan went probably too hard but he’s still fit and was able to hold on pretty nicely."
Quintana said he was pleased at how well Montoya ran in his first collegiate race.
“I was still really happy with his effort, really good effort,” he said.
Quintana said that this is just the first race and first opportunity for the team to get better.
ASU’s men and women’s cross-country teams' next meet is at the Artichoke Invitational on Sept.14 in Scottsdale.
Reach the reporter at lzazueta@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @lorenzozazueta
