The Case Western Reserve University women's cross country team finished second out of 11 NCAA Division III teams and 10th overall out of 25 total teams at the All-Ohio Championships, hosted by Cedarville University at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course in Cedarville, Ohio on Friday afternoon.
The Spartans' score of 74 in the Division III portion of the meet placed them behind only John Carroll University, which was the top finishing DIII squad with a score of 51. Otterbein University rounded out the top-three DIII teams with a score of 102, while Miami (Ohio) won the overall meet with a score of 37.
Senior Jana Fisher was the Spartans' top finisher on Friday, placing third among the 93 Division III competitors and 37th among the 221 runners overall, and completing the 6K course in a time of 23:32.7. She was followed by senior Susanna Henry in 69th place overall and 14th among DIII runners with a time of 24:21.0. Senior Julia Kocherzat was the team's third finisher, crossing the line in a time of 24:26.7 to place 17th among DIII competitors and 75th overall, while junior Catherine Phillips was close behind, placing 77th overall and 19th in Division III with a time of 24:30.7. Rounding out the Spartans' five scorers was first-year Medha Patria, who placed 84th overall and 21st in Division III with a time of 24:37.7.
Also competing in the championship race on Friday was junior Melissa Phung, who finished 139th overall and 46th in Division III with a time of 26:36.3, and graduate student Elise Epstein, who was 141st overall and 47th in Division III with a time of 26:38.0.
Akron's Beth Arentz was the top overall finisher with a time of 21:31.1, while Otterbein's Sydney Smith led all Division III runners at the event with a time of 22:54.8.
In the women's open 6K race later in the day, sophomore Grace Jackson was the team's top finisher, placing 30th out of 138 runners with a time of 25:27.1, and was followed closely by sophomore Jessica Kwasny in 31st place with a time of 25:27.1.
The Spartans will host their annual Alumni Meet at the Squire Valleevue Farm in Hunting Valley, Ohio on Saturday, September 25, before returning to intercollegiate competition at the Mike Woods Invitational in Mt. Morris, New York on October 2.
