Sept. 18, 2009
Video Interviews following the meet:
TUCSON, Ariz. - For the third year in a row and the sixth time in the last eight years, a member of the Arizona State University women's cross country team has claimed the individual title at the Dave Murray Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., with Anna Sperry, in her first race as a Sun Devil, claiming the crown at the meet held Friday afternoon at the Dell Urich Golf Course.
As a team, the women, who were without several key runners in the race, took second place with 41 points as host Arizona won the title with 28 points and fellow Pac-10 foe UCLA was third with 61. The ASU men, also running without the services of a few of its top individuals, took third with 55 points, just one point off UA's second-place score of 54 with both trailing meet winner UCLA's 32 points.
In the second race of the competition, Sperry was constantly near the head of the field and, with just over 600 yards to go, moved from third to second place. The junior transfer from BYU, Sperry closed the gap on the then-leader and passed her with just yards to go to claim the title in 17:03 over the three-mile course. Sperry joins a list of five ASU women have won the race following Ali Kielty (2008), Jenna Kingma (2007), Brooke Bennett (2005) and Amy Hastings (2004 and 2003).
Sperry was followed across the line by Lindsay Prescott (7th, 17:20), Angela Spadafino (10th, 17:27), Camille Olson (11th, 17:29) and Kauren Tarver (12th, 17:40) as the five scoring runners for the team. Three others finished in the Top 20 for ASU, including Kari Hardt (13th, 17:40), Cherise McNair (15th, 17:41) and Kate Lydy (17th, 17:55). In all, 15 women ran in an ASU uniform with six making their Sun Devil debuts. Three other women also competed in the meet, but were unattached from the team, with two finishing in the Top 25. Those two women included Kevyn Murphy (19th, 18:06) and Karlee Owens (23rd, 18:20).
The meet opened earlier in the day with the men's 4.25-mile run where six with ties to the program finished among the Top 15 overall. Ben Engelhardt led the way for the Sun Devils as he placed fifth overall in 21:14 while Jeff Helmer was right behind him in ninth place at 21:33. ASU's scoring positions were rounded out by Daniel Lovell (23rd, 22:17) and Cameron Liston (27th, 22:25). Freshmen Doug Smith (21:41) and Nick Happe (21:52), who competed unattached, placed 10th and 12th overall, respectively, while junior transfer Zeke Van Patten, also running unattached, was 15th in 21:57.
The other men representing ASU in the meet included Mason McHenry (30th, 22:47), Matt Boughton (32nd, 22:53), Collin Eckelman (39th, 23:18) and Ben Jankunas (61st, 25:23). Three other men also competed in the race unattached to the program with Matt Estlund (22:15) posting the only other Top 25 mark with a 21st-place showing.
Following a week off from competition, the Sun Devils will enter into a pair of events, including the ASU Invitational at the Desert Twilight Cross Country Festival in Mesa and the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind. Both events will take place on Friday, October 2.
2009 Dave Murray Invitational
Dell Urich G.C. - Tucson, Ariz.
ASU Results - Women's 3 miles
1. Anna Sperry - 17:03
7. Lindsay Prescott - 17:20
10. Angela Spadafino - 17:27
11. Camille Olson - 17:29
12. Kauren Tarver - 17:40
13. Kari Hardt - 17:40
15. Cherise McNair - 17:41
17. Kate Lydy - 17:55
25. Natasa Vulic - 18:29
26. Maureen Stringham - 18:29
28. Brianna Smith - 18:33
29. Catherine Loden - 18:42
33. Chelsea Caloia - 18:46
39. Ashley Wimmer - 19:38
57. Courtney Golden - 21:05
Sun Devils that competed UNATTACHED from the team:
19. Kevyn Murphy - 18:06
23. Karlee Owens - 18:20
46. Liz Zuniga - 20:20
Women's Team Scoring - Top 5
1. Arizona - 28
2. Arizona State - 41
3. UCLA - 61
4. Mesa CC - 126
5. Pima CC - 154
ASU Results - Men's 4.25 miles
5. Ben Engelhardt - 21:14
6. Jeff Helmer - 21:33
9. Patrick Milloy - 21:40
23. Daniel Lovell - 22:17
27. Cameron Liston - 22:25
30. Mason McHenry - 22:47
32. Matt Boughton - 22:53
39. Collin Eckelman - 23:18
61. Ben Jankunas - 25:23
Sun Devils that competed UNATTACHED from the team:
10. Doug Smith - 21:41
12. Nick Happe - 21:52
15. Zeke Van Patten - 21:57
21. Matt Estlund - 22:15
36. Steven Schnieders - 23:06
44. Sean Newport - 23:30
Men's Team Scoring - Top 5
1. UCLA - 32
2. Arizona - 54
3. Arizona State - 56
4. Paradise Valley CC - 77
5. Pima CC - 166