9/17/2004 - Women's Cross Country
Women's Cross Country to Play Host to Salty Seadog Open Saturday
Sophomores Erin Demchko (left) and Emily Castro (right) will look to lead the Mids to a win Saturday at the Salty Seadog Open at the USNA Cross Country Course. |
Annapolis, Md. - After two-straight weeks on the road, the Navy women's cross country team will return home Saturday to play host to the Salty Seadog Open. The race will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. at the USNA Cross Country Course.
"It's great to run on our home course," head coach Karen Boyle said. "The team has been working really hard this season and we are excited to get the chance to run in front of fans, friends and family."
The Mids will be looking to capture the team championship after falling to Patriot League-rival American in last season's meet. American's Keira Carlstrom won the individual title in 19:05.94, as the Eagles finished in first place with 23 points and the Mids followed in second with 37 points.
Navy will enter the Salty Seadog Open with a tremendous amount of confidence after a strong performance last weekend in the Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State's Blue-White Golf Course. The Mids placed third out of 17 teams with 86 points and finished just 10 points behind La Salle for second. The meet also served as a preview for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, which will be run on the same course November 13.
"The meet was important because it gave us an opportunity to scout the course for the regional," Boyle said. "It will definitely help us as we prepare for the meet later on in the season."
For the sixth time in the last seven meets dating back to last season, sophomore Emily Castro (Centennial, Colo.) was the top-Navy finisher with an 11th-place performance. Following Castro was fellow sophomore Christine Taranto (Coraopolis, Pa.) in 13th place. After that was a pair of freshmen, Kyleigh Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) and Arwyn Becker (Avon, Colo.) who finished in the top 20 of the individual standings with 16th and 18th-place finishes, respectively.
"Emily ran a solid race (Saturday)," Boyle said. "She has been a constant for us going back to last season when she was a freshman."
The Salty Seadog Open will be the first of two home meets this season for the Midshipmen. Navy will also play host to Army in the Star Meet on October 16.
Two weeks ago, Navy opened its season by traveling to the Mount St. Mary's Invitational in Emmitsburg, Md., and came home with the overall team championship by defeating UMBC, Maryland, Mount St. Mary's and American in dual-meet competition.
