Cross country finished strong at Dave Murray


Ben Engelhardt was fifth overall in the men’s 4.25-mile race and Lindsay Prescott was the race runner-up over 3-miles as both led the way for their respective Arizona State University cross country teams Friday night at the Dave Murray Invitational in Tucson. With their finishes, Engelhardt led the men to a team title on the Del Urich Golf Course as ASU scored just 21 points while Prescott helped the women to a second-place finish in the team standings with 44 points.

The win for the men marks their second all-time in Tucson after winning the 2008 edition of the Murray meet and also gives the program its first win since taking the ASU Invitational last year. The 21 points scored by the men, which gave them a 19-point cushion over host UA, ties for the fourth-lowest total in program history, equalling the 21 points scored to win the UNLV Invitational in 1984. The three scores lower in ASU history came at the 1999 Canyon West (15 points), the 2009 ASU Invitational (16) and the 2005 Canyon West (17).

Engelhardt covered the course in 21:19.3 to take fifth overall in the men’s race with three collegians and one professional runner placing ahead of him. His finish was one of four in the Top 10 for the Sun Devils and one of eight in the Top 25. ASU’s Top 5 scorers all placed in the Top 13 and included Darius Terry (7th, 21:36.5), Doug Smith (8th, 21:38.1), Daniel Lovell (9th, 21:38.5) and Nick Happe (13th, 21:57.3). The remaining Top 25 finishers included Steven Schnieders (18th), Matt Estlund (19th) and Sean Newport (21st) while Michael Rodriguez (34th) and Ben Jankunas (40th) also competed.

Also in the men’s race were six Sun Devils that competed as unattached individuals. The six men combined to finish third in the team standings and were led by Jesus Molina, who was 23rd overall in 22:45.5. Andrew Hagler (25th), Garrett Baker-Slama (27th), Jared Gonzales (38th) and Andrew Cannata (54th) rounded out the Top 5 scorers while Brian Yates (59th) also ran.

On the women’s side of things, Prescott was second overall in 17:04.2 in a race that saw the Sun Devil women once again use the event as a training run to prepare for the next meet. Prescott’s finish was one of two in the Top 10 overall while also being one of eight Top 25 finishes, which included all ASU runners in the race. Alyssa Allison took ninth overall (17:54.4) while Cherise McNair (18:05.5), Anna Sperry (18:08.9) and Kate Lydy (18:11.9) rounded out the scorers for the team by finishing 11th, 12th and 13th, respectively. The remaining Sun Devils in the race included Karlee Owens (14th, 18:24.8), Catherine Loden (19th, 19:16.6) and Natasa Vulic (21st, 19:29.6).

The women will be back on the competition course next Saturday in Minneapolis, Minn., when they run in the Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by Minnesota. The men will be off until October 1, when they split their squad to run at both the Notre Dame Invitational and the ASU Invitational.

2010 Dave Murray Invitational
Del Urich Golf Course - Tucson, Ariz.
ASU Men’s Results - 4.25-mile Course
5. Ben Engelhardt - 21:19.3
7. Darius Terry - 21:36.5
8. Doug Smith - 21:38.1
9. Daniel Lovell - 21:38.5
13. Nick Happe - 21:57.3
18. Steven Schnieders - 22:11.2
19. Matt Estlund - 22:11.7
21. Sean Newport - 22:36.9
34. Michael Rodriguez - 23:09.8
40. Ben Jankunas - 23:34.5

ASU Men’s UNATTACHED Runner Results
23. Jesus Molina - 22:45.5
25. Andrew Hagler - 22:50.7
27. Garrett Baker-Slama - 22:52.4
38. Jared Gonzales - 23:30.7
54. Andrew Cannata - 24:42.4
59. Brian Yates - 25:02.2

Men’s Team Scoring - Top 5
1. Arizona State (21)

2. Arizona (40)
3. Unattached-ASU (117)
4. San Diego Mesa (140)
5. Mesa CC (150)

ASU Women’s Results - 3-mile Course
2. Lindsay Prescott - 17:04.2
9. Alyssa Allison - 17:54.4
11. Cherise McNair - 18:05.5
12. Anna Sperry - 18:08.9
13. Kate Lydy - 18:11.9
14. Karlee Owens - 18:24.8
19. Catherine Loden - 19:16.6
21. Natasa Vulic - 19:29.6

Women’s Team Scoring - Top 5
1. Arizona (19)
2. Arizona State (44)
3. Pima CC (98)
4. Glendale CC (141)
5. Mesa CC (144)