Last Saturday the Varsity Girls Cross Country Team lost to Exeter’s Big Red with a score of 20-35. Said Co-Captain Anne Sharp ’05, “Exeter had a really strong team, but it was a close race and I believe our team has the ability to pull through and possibility beat them at [NEPSAC] Interscholastic race next weekend.” The Big Blue recorded excellent times however, which were likely a result of the extremely flat Exeter course, in addition to the slight taper that the team underwent last week. The finish places of the race were somewhat of a surprise to the Lady Blue; Katie Faulkner ’06, the Blue’s star runner, finished in third place. Though she was bumped out of her usual position by two Exeter runners, Faulkner had a great race finishing with a time of 19:28. Erika Roddy ’07, having clearly recovered from the injury that plagued her for most of the season, finished in fifth place with a personal best of 19:55. Following 30 seconds after Roddy were Jen Downing ’08 in eighth place and, a few seconds later, Katherine Adams ’06. Coming into tenth with a 21:17, was Debby Kuhn ’05, then Katie Morris ’07 in 13th. In 15th was Becca Waldo ’07 who was trailed closely by Kendra Allenby ’05, with only a five second gap between the two. Sharp rounded out the extended Varsity group of nine, instead of the usual seven runners, with a 22:07. The JV team also lost, though the contest was closer than in the Varsity, as the JV only lost with a 33-24 score. Even though it was a disappointment, the loss had been anticipated due to a couple injured runners and the loss of two JV runners to the expanded Varsity team. Co-Captain Alison Murphy ’05 led the JV group in second place with a personal best of 21:49. Directly after Murphy was Rachel Reinauer ’07 in fifth, Elaine Sullivan ’07 in sixth and, only ten seconds later, Chris Sargent ’06 in eighth place. In the next pack were Andrea Coravos ’06, Hilary Fischer-Groban ’05 and Charlotte Pougnier ’05. Most notably, Maggie Reich ’06 and Sarah Waldo ’05, both three year runners, finished the race in under 25 minutes for the first time, shaving minutes off their previous personal best times. The races, though lost, were still encouraging as 23 out of the 27 girls who ran achieved season bests. Meanwhile the Varsity team is at the beginning of a significant reduction in the intensity of their workouts, as it prepares for the NEPSAC Interscholastic Race this Saturday at Hotchkiss. Coach Nancy Lang hopes that this taper will allow the girls to be extremely rested and “chomping at the bit to race” by Saturday. Coach Lang also reminded the girls that, “First isn’t out of reach, but third is no guarantee.” The girls have a shot at beating out their Exeter rivals to avenge their string of second places at Interschols. However, with strong packs from Exeter, Deerfield and St. Pauls, the lady blue will have to have a strong showing tomorrow if they want to come home with a trophy.
