SUNNYVALE, Calif.--- The No. 14 nationally ranked Stan State women's cross country team returned to competition Saturday morning with a second-place finish at the Bronco Invitational hosted by Santa Clara University at Baylands Park. The Warriors totaled 77 points in the 23-team Women's 6K Invitational, finishing behind only No. 4 Chico State.
Competing for the first time since Sept. 12, the Warriors placed five runners among the top 27 overall and finished ahead of several NCAA Division I programs, including San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sacramento State, Fresno State and Cal Poly.
Women's 6K Invitational
Kekaihulali Halpern paced Stan State with a sixth-place finish in 20:34.9. Annie Wild followed in 12th place with a time of 20:48.6, while freshman Natalie Arriaza finished 17th in 20:56.4 to give the Warriors three runners among the top 17.
Izzy Soto placed 26th in 21:11.2, while Stevie Holguin rounded out the scoring five with a 27th-place finish in 21:13.9.
Risa Reynier finished 89th in 22:10.0, followed by Megan Silva in 98th (22:16.0).
The Warriors posted a scoring-five average of 20:57.0, with just 39 seconds separating their first and fifth finishers.
Women's 6K Open
Stan State placed fifth with 149 points in the 13-team Women's 6K Open race. Chico State captured the team title with 26 points, followed by Clovis Community College (64), Cal Poly Humboldt (121) and Hartnell (129).
Aubrey Lascano led the Warriors with an 18th-place finish in 23:05.1. Freshman Sophie Benham placed 28th in 23:31.7, followed closely by Roseli Diaz in 29th (23:32.7).
Freshman Elizabeth Christopher finished 53rd in 24:08.7, while freshman Demiree Dean rounded out the scoring five in 93rd (25:57.3).
Team Standings
No. 4 Chico State captured the Women's 6K Invitational team title with 46 points, followed by No. 14 Stan State (77), San Francisco (95), Santa Clara (122) and Sacramento State (179). Fresno State placed sixth with 190 points, followed by Cal Poly (200), UC Davis (217), Cal State Monterey Bay (284) and Saint Mary's (289).
Santa Clara's Milaina Almonte captured the individual title in 20:00.3, followed by Chico State's Della Molina in 20:25.0.
Up Next
Stan State will begin postseason competition at the CCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the CSUSB Cross Country Course in San Bernardino. The women's race is scheduled for 11 a.m.
The NCAA Division II West Regional will follow on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, with the women's race scheduled for 10:15 a.m. The NCAA Division II National Championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kansas.
