ASU produced a strong showing at the Dave Murray Invitational on Friday, with the men capturing the team title and junior Lindsay Prescott placing 2nd for the women.
The 21 points scored by the men tied for the fourth lowest total in program history, as five Sun Devil men placed in the top 15. Arizona came in 2nd place with 40 points.
“I was pleased with the guys and how they executed,” ASU coach Louie Quintana said. “We ran better than last year and we went out controlled.”
The women, who sat out several top runners in the training run, finished 25 points back of UA to take 2nd with a score of 44.
“The women struggled, but we are doing great work and that’s the sign of the great ASU teams,” Quintana said. “That work will really pay off.”
Several top ASU women sat out the race, but Prescott shined in the extreme heat (high of 104 degrees Friday), something that Quintana said affected more than one of his runners.
“The conditions really played into our overall strategy,” Quintana said. “[But] Lindsay is really fit. I thought she would win, honestly.”
UA standout junior Hanna Moen pulled away from Prescott late to capture the women’s individual crown. Sophomore Alyssa Allison took ninth overall (17:54.4) while senior Cherise McNair (11th, 18:05.5), senior Anna Sperry (12th, 18:08.9) and sophomore Kate Lydy (13th, 18:11.9) rounded out the scorers for the ASU women.
“I will give Arizona [women] credit, they are well prepared, fit and talented,” Quintana said. “I'm telling you they have a top 10 team right now. I know that we are not all that different than them, even though it wasn't truly reflected in the results.”
What was certainly reflected in Friday’s results was the men’s complete dominance over the rest of the field.
Redshirt junior Daniel Lovell, who at Thursday’s practice, made good on an earlier prediction.
“If there’s any red, white or blue at the finish line, you’re going to see maroon and gold going after them,” Lovell said last week.
Lovell did chase after UA all day and helped No. 17 ASU accomplish what he said was their main goal — beating UA.
ASU’s top four scorers placed inside the top ten, with senior Ben Engelhardt (21:19.3), sophomore Darius Terry (21:36.5), sophomore Doug Smith (21:38.1), and Lovell (21:38.5) leading the way at 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, respectively. Sophomore Nick Happe (21:57.3) rounded out ASU’s top 5 with a 13th place finish.
Even with the early success, Quintana still doesn’t believe this ASU team is getting the credit it deserves.
“I don't think we get any respect nationally,” Quintana said, who was quick to add the importance for his teams to be better up front. “Without someone up front, we will not go very far.”
The ASU women head to Minnesota next weekend to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational.
The men are off until Oct. 1, when they will split their squad to compete in both the Notre Dame Invitational as well as the ASU Invitational in Mesa.
Reach the reporter at kyle.j.newman@asu.edu
