Sept. 5, 2009
FULLERTON, Calif. -
The San Diego State cross country team opened its 2009 season Saturday with a ninth-place finish at the Cal State Fullerton Season Opener on the Fullerton Municipal Golf Course. The Aztecs have now finished in the top-10 in 10 of the past 11 season-opening meets at Cal State Fullerton.
SDSU finished with 212 points in a meet won by Azusa Pacific (53 points). Long Beach State was second (65), followed by Glendale College (93) and USC (99). Loyola Marymount rounded out the top five with 125 points, while fellow Mountain West Conference foe UNLV was 13th (382).
The Aztecs were led by freshman Marianne Hogan and senior Rachel Williams. Hogan made her collegiate debut by completing the 6,000-meter course in 23 minutes, 52.0 seconds, good enough for 21st place out of 262 runners. Williams was three places back (24th) with a time of 23:53.5, less than 11 seconds off her personal-best 6K (23:42.6).
Junior Alma Escobar was the next SDSU finisher, taking 53rd in a time of 24:39.0. It was Escobar's first cross country race since last Aug. 30 at the same Cal State Fullerton Season Opener.
A pack of three San Diego State runners came in 71st, 74th and 75th, respectively. Freshman Jordan Davis was 71st in 25:15.6, junior Michelle Martinez followed in 74th (25:17.9) and junior Sara Beyers was 75th in 25:18.6.
Sophomore Melissa Bunn completed her first-ever collegiate 6K race in 27:15.1 to take 165th.
The Aztecs will be back in action on Saturday when they compete in the Asics/UC Irvine Invitational at 8:30 a.m.
Cal State Fullerton Season Opener
Fullerton Municipal Golf Course
Women's Team Results (26 teams)
(Top five teams and SDSU listed only)
1. Azusa Pacific, 53
2. Long Beach State, 65
3. Glendale College, 93
4. USC, 99
5. Loyola Marymount, 125
9. San Diego State, 212
Women's Individual Results (6K) (262 runners)
21. Marianne Hogan, 23:52.0
24. Rachel Williams, 23:53.5
53. Alma Escobar, 24:39.0
71. Jordan Davis, 25:15.6
74. Michelle Martinez, 25:17.9
75. Sara Beyers, 25:18.6
165. Melissa Bunn, 27:15.1