SAPC women take eighth at Conference Carolinas Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Lady Knights were picked to finish last in the league at the beginning of the season but with the help of three newcomers in the top-five St. Andrews Presbyterian College finished eighth out of 11 teams in the 2010 Conference Carolinas Championship on Friday afternoon.

Junior foreign exchange student Sarah Kee (Lisburn, Northern Ireland) led the Royal Blue and White with a 32nd place finish out of 90 harriers. Kee blazed the 5k course around McAlpine Creek Park in 20 minutes and 59 seconds. Kee was in the 42nd position but passed 10 competitors over the final two miles.

Senior Alex King (Tucson, Ariz.) and freshman Karlee Arnold (Columbia City, Ind.) finished within 15 seconds of Kee.  King posted a solid time of 21:08 while Arnold took a full minute off her best time with a PR speed of 21:14.  King and Arnold both finished in the upper half of the field.

Freshman Amanda Massengale (Midland, Ga.) and senior Allie Faulhaber (Apex, N.C.) capped the Knights scoring in 54th and 55th place, respectively, with times of 22:13 and 22:15. SAPC finished five points ahead of ninth place Coker College, as the duo finished just ahead of the Cobras fourth and fifth runners who took 56th and 59th overall.

“The ladies really came together in the race, finishing fairly close to one another,” said SAPC first year head coach Micheal Coggins. “I think our training program has helped us avoid injury and keep legs fresh longer this season. I know the women are excited about moving up in the conference standings and that momentum will help us grow in the future.”

Junior Anna Egeln (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) led the second wave of Lady Knights’ endurance runners to the finish line with a time of 22:56.

The Knights final four harriers all reached individual achievements. Sophomore Joanna Lindstrom (Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea) and senior Amy Tripson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) set corresponding PR times of 23:38 and 24:05. Senior Danielle Martin (Newport, N.C.) had a season best 5k time of 24:11 and classmate Amelia Shill (Moore, S.C.) tallied a PR time of 25:43.

St. Andrews will return to McAlpine Creek Park for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional hosted by Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, November 20. The women’s 6,000-meter race is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m.

St. Andrews (5k, 90 runners)
32. Sarah Kee (20:59.2)
37. Alex King (21:08.5)
41. Karlee Arnold (21:14.7)
54. Amanda Massengale (22:13.6)
55. Allie Faulhaber (22:15.2)
70. Anna Egeln (22:56.3)
76. Joanna Lindstrom (23:38.9)
81. Amy Tripson (24:05.0)
82. Danielle Martin (24:11.8)
89. Amelia Shill (25:43.5)