Cowgirls Dominate in Season Opener

POCATELLO, Idaho - Oklahoma State's women's cross country team finished first with a perfect team score of 15 points at the Idaho State Invitational on Saturday, in Pocatello, Idaho.

“It was a good start for the season,” coach Rene Sepulveda said. “It was the toughest course that we will compete at this season and the girls showed how mentally tough they are.”

The Cowgirls dominated the season opener with the running of senior Barbora Kuncova, who took the individual title with a time of 10:38, and the performances of four other runners that finished in the top five.

Junior Eva Slavikova (10:43) had a strong showing, as she finished second behind Kuncova in her Cowgirl debut. Sophomore Eva Tomankova (10:43) finished third, while last year's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, sophomore Mary Davies, ran for a fourth-place finish in a time of 10:46.

Senior Valentina Medina (10:48) clinched the perfect team score for the Cowgirls, after finishing fifth.

The Cowgirls then had strong finishes from talented freshman Anissa Angelosante and redshirt freshman Brittany Hill, as they finished ninth and 12^th, respectively.

Idaho State finished second in the team standings with 47 points. Junior Sarah Skeem led the way for the Bengals, finishing sixth with a time of 10:51.

OSU's “B Team” competed at the Hurricane Festival at Mohawk Park in Tulsa, as Jennifer Clarke led the Cowgirls with a 25^th-place finish.

Clarke, a freshman from Stillwater, Okla., finished the two-mile run with a time of 12:57.

“Jennifer did a great job leading the team,” volunteer coach Jerry Crockett said.

Other Cowgirls that performed well included freshman Meagan Sullivan, senior Alison Erzinger (2005 outdoor track and field All-American), junior Andrea Gagan and freshman Kalea Tam, as they finished 27^th, 29^th, 30^th and 33^rd, respectively.

Freshmen Linda Whiteley and Stephanie Shyrock, both graduates of Stillwater High School, finished 46^th and 47^th in their first collegiate cross country competition.

Tulsa took the team title, while senior Lise Oliver led the Hurricanes with a second-place finish. Missouri State's Kristin Wolkey won the meet with a time of 11:19.

Once the Cowgirls return home, they will begin preparing for the Roy Griak Invitational, in Minneapolis on Sept. 24.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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