GOLDEN SUNS CROSS COUNTRY FINISHES NINTH AT
20TH-ANNUAL MISSOURI SOUTHERN STAMPEDE

        JOPLIN, Missouri – Arkansas Tech Women’s Cross Country continued its 2008 season here Saturday by finishing ninth out of 34 teams at the 20th-Annual Missouri Southern Stampede held at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Tech, who is ranked fourth in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA D-II South Region Poll, scored 268 points to finish two points behind eighth-place Lindenwood (266 points) and six points behind seventh-place Pittsburg State (262 points).

Tulsa (32 points) took home the women’s team title as the Golden Hurricanes had five of the 12 finishers in the 5,000-meter race. Missouri Southern, the host school, finished second as they scored 135 points and Harding came in third place with 141 points.

Leading the way for Tech was junior Melissa Pollreis (Gravette, Ark.). Pollreis finished 35th overall out of 278 runners as she ran a time of 18:50.2 over the 5,000-meter course. It was the third straight meet that Pollreis was the highest Tech finisher as she finished fourth at the Tech Twilight Classic in Russellville on Aug. 29 and finished 55th overall at last weekend’s Brooks/Memphis Twilight Meet.

Tulsa’s Alex Becker took home the women’s individual title as she ran the course in a time of 16:36.2, while Oklahoma’s Kelly Waters ran a time of 17:15.5 to finish in second place.

Other Tech finishers behind Pollreis were sophomore Lauren Karnitz (DeSoto, Kan.), who ran the course in a time of 18:56.2 to finish in 41st place, while junior Michelle Pollreis (Gravette, Ark.) ran a time of 19:26.1 to finish in 66th place and senior Brianna Greene (Harrison, Ark.) ran the course in a time of 19:31.6 to finish in 74th place overall. The Tech contingent was completed by senior Kayla Waldrup (El Dorado, Ark.), who ran a time of 19:35.1 to finish in 77th place, sophomore Erika Wardlaw (Eureka Springs, Ark.) ran a time of 20:26.1 to finish in 122nd place and freshman Jessica Norris (Russellville, Ark.) ran a time of 21:14.4 to finish in 161st place.  Sophomore Ciara Cluck (Cedarville, Ark.) ran the course in a time of 24:33.7 to finish in 250th place and freshman Savannah Stewart (Batesville, Ark.) finished in 257th place after running a time of 25:08.8.

Tech will return to action next Saturday, Sept. 27, when they compete at the UALR Invitational held at Rebsaman Golf Course in Little Rock, Ark. The meet will begin at 11:20 a.m.

TECH WOMEN – INDIVIDUAL

Place          Name                             Time         Team Points

          35th            Melissa Pollreis                18:50.2              33

          41st            Lauren Karnitz                18:56.2              39

          66th            Michelle Pollreis               19:26.1              60

          74th            Brianna Greene               19:31.6             67

77th            Kayla Waldrup                 19:35.1             69

          122nd         Erika Wardlaw                 20:26.1            108

          161st          Jessica Norris                  21:14.4            137

          250th          Ciara Cluck                     24:33.7             --

          257th          Savannah Stewart          25:08.8             --

          Complete Missouri Southern Stampede results

           -- Tech Athletics --