SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Paced by junior Haylee Love's fifth-place finish, the Anderson women's cross country team placed five runners in the top-10 and finished first among non-NCAA Division I teams at the USC Upstate Invitational, Saturday morning at the Milliken Research Center.
Following a two-week layoff the Trojans, who were ranked fourth in each of the last two U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) weekly polls, outdistanced fellow South Atlantic Conference member Queens, for the title. The Royals have held the second spot in the USTFCCCA rankings the last two weeks and was the preseason pick to finish second in the conference, just ahead of Anderson.
AU returned to the 5K course for the second time this season, just edging the Royals, who claimed three of the top five spots.
Love finished fifth on the strength of an 18:55.10 time, while senior Olivia Gardner claimed sixth place in a time of 19:07.28. Sophomore Abigail Bozarth (19:28.56) slashed more than a minute off her previous season-best to cross the line in eighth place, with junior Alex Dixon finishing ninth in a time of 19:39.42.
Senior Grace Gerlock posted a personal-best time of 19:49.97 en route to claiming 10th place, with sophomores Martha Coleman (19:53.21) and Maddie Buddenberg (20:08.68) finishing 11th and 13th, respectively.
Anderson will get back on the course Friday at the Royals Challenge, hosted by Queens.
