CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Junior Sydney Hazel led the Anderson women's cross country team to an eighth-place finish at the Royals Cross Country Challenge, hosted by Queens University of Charlotte on Friday at McAlpine Creek Park.
Following a two-week layoff and competing on the same course for the second consecutive outing, nearly every Anderson runner posted a season-best time over the 5K course.
"I was very pleased with our performance," said Anderson head coach Randy Greer. "Most of the girls ran season-best times and several also ran personal best times. I think we are right where we want to be headed into conference."
Hazel (18:55.1) trimmed 53 seconds off her previous season-best time en route to a 25th-place finish, while freshman Bari Robinson cut 74 seconds from her previous season-best effort with a time of 19:11.3 and finished 36th. Freshman Olivia Gardner (19:18.1) was more than 10 seconds faster than her earlier season best and crossed the line in 42nd.
Senior Hannah Robles cut more than a minute off her earlier season-best effort and placed 82nd with a time of 20:12.8. Freshman Grace Gerlock (20:28.2) slashed more than four minutes from her earlier personal-best and finished 96th, while fellow freshman Amber Worthy (20:40.3) improved her personal-best effort by 45 seconds to cross the line in the 106th.
Sophomore Devan Fisher (21:23.5) crossed the line nearly a minute faster and finished 131st. Freshman Mia Swiersz finished 141st nearly a minute faster than her prior season-best, in 21:38.1. Junior Madison Guest (22:37.5) rounded out the Anderson contingent in 172nd.
Following a two-week layoff, Anderson will get back on the course at the South Atlantic Conference Championships on Saturday, October 26 at Black Mountain, N.C.
