Women finish season third at regional meet
Jack Nicholl
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Sports
Each member of the women's cross country team wrote down two goals before the season began: finish in the top two in the conference and top three in the region.
Mission accomplished.
The Bulldogs wrapped up a successful season with a third-place finish at regionals Saturday in Abilene, Texas. Sophomores Dani Dell'Orco and Anne Ratermann qualified for nationals individually with sixth and eighth-place finishes, respectively.
"At that time, that was a far stretch, but we knew it was going to be a possibility," Ratermann said of the team. "We're just really proud that we were able to accomplish those goals."
However, the third place finish at regionals also means the team missed a national berth by one spot. The 'Dogs had 97 points, behind Dallas Baptist University's 84 and Missouri Southern State University's 18. Pittsburg State University finished fourth. The top two teams from the region advance.
Freshman Karen Grauel ran with Ratermann for nearly the entire race and finished ninth. Freshman Cindy Grauel (37th) and sophomore Michelle Gronemeyer (39th) rounded out the scoring for the 'Dogs.
Head coach John Cochrane said Gronemeyer was sick for nearly 10 days leading up to the meet, and Cindy Grauel got caught in the pack near the beginning of the race and could not make up enough ground because of the tight pack and flat course.
"It was pretty much a glorified track race," Dell'Orco said. "I think it kind of favored the weaker runners - it kept everyone packed more tightly. You didn't have the hills, or anything, to gain momentum and catch people."
Cochrane said he was not surprised Ratermann earned a national berth because she has been running well all season. Ratermann's strategy was to run with Southern's Marlee Tegenkamp, who finished seventh.
"She got herself in position, she stayed there, she cut down really well at the end and pretty much did what she was supposed to do," Cochrane said.
Like Gronemeyer, Dell'Orco also felt sick in the days leading up to meet. She said she started feeling sick Friday night in the hotel and her condition caused her to fall back a couple spots near the end of the race.
Mission accomplished.
The Bulldogs wrapped up a successful season with a third-place finish at regionals Saturday in Abilene, Texas. Sophomores Dani Dell'Orco and Anne Ratermann qualified for nationals individually with sixth and eighth-place finishes, respectively.
"At that time, that was a far stretch, but we knew it was going to be a possibility," Ratermann said of the team. "We're just really proud that we were able to accomplish those goals."
However, the third place finish at regionals also means the team missed a national berth by one spot. The 'Dogs had 97 points, behind Dallas Baptist University's 84 and Missouri Southern State University's 18. Pittsburg State University finished fourth. The top two teams from the region advance.
Freshman Karen Grauel ran with Ratermann for nearly the entire race and finished ninth. Freshman Cindy Grauel (37th) and sophomore Michelle Gronemeyer (39th) rounded out the scoring for the 'Dogs.
Head coach John Cochrane said Gronemeyer was sick for nearly 10 days leading up to the meet, and Cindy Grauel got caught in the pack near the beginning of the race and could not make up enough ground because of the tight pack and flat course.
"It was pretty much a glorified track race," Dell'Orco said. "I think it kind of favored the weaker runners - it kept everyone packed more tightly. You didn't have the hills, or anything, to gain momentum and catch people."
Cochrane said he was not surprised Ratermann earned a national berth because she has been running well all season. Ratermann's strategy was to run with Southern's Marlee Tegenkamp, who finished seventh.
"She got herself in position, she stayed there, she cut down really well at the end and pretty much did what she was supposed to do," Cochrane said.
Like Gronemeyer, Dell'Orco also felt sick in the days leading up to meet. She said she started feeling sick Friday night in the hotel and her condition caused her to fall back a couple spots near the end of the race.
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