HOOVER, Ala. – Delta State senior runner Kristin Williams recorded a time of 20 minutes, 37.90 seconds to finish 24th at the 2009 Gulf South Conference cross country meet Saturday.
Williams turned in the only top 30 finish for the Lady Statesmen, who were hindered by illness and injury. In spite of the setbacks, Delta State was able to field eight runners in the competition, and finished 12th out of 14 teams.
Katy Grant of Harding University won the event with a time of 18:40.06. Harding University won the overall event as four of Lady Bisons were among the top five finishers, giving the team a 65-point cushion between themselves and second-place West Florida.
Delta State head coach Doug Pinkerton called Williams’ showing “a gusty performance,” as she set her season personal best in spite of suffering from a calf strain.
Ashley Carrillo was the second Lady Statesman to cross the finish line, completing the run with a time of 21:41.57 and placing 44th in the field. Brittany Eikner finished 68th with a time of 23:15.14, and Amanda Corneilison came in shortly behind her, finishing with 71th with a time of 23:28.02.
Elizabeth Fike (81st, 24:20.86), Cate Rowe (82nd, 24:27.86), Hend Alboshaba (87th, 24:47.66) and Dixie Griffin (88th, 24:58.56) rounded out the delegation from Delta State.
Griffin, one of Delta State’s top performers throughout the season, was hindered by an illness.
“Dixie Griffin ran sick, and if she had been running normal, we probably would have been seventh or eighth,” Pinkerton said. “We still had five girls run personal best times for the year today on a hard course.”
In addition to Williams, Carrillo, Eikner, Corneilison and Alboshaba set personal bests
The Lady Statesmen will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Regional meet in Tampa, Fla. on Nov. 7.