MINNEAPOLIS – Samantha Ortega led the way for the Arizona State women, finishing 25th and helping the Sun Devils take eighth with 242 points in their return to the Roy Griak Invitational, Saturday in Minneapolis.
Ortega's finish reflects her consistent run on the 6K course. Despite being in 39th-place through the first kilometer, Ortega was only three seconds off the leader at the mark. She methodically moved up as the race progressed to become the Sun Devils' top-finisher on the day with a time of 22:29.1.
"Sam executed and kind of sifted her way through a great, national caliber field like a seasoned veteran," assistant coach Cory Leslie said. "She ran with great wherewithal and really navigated this course, and this weather, and all of the variables extremely well."
Senior Chelsey Albertson was the second-best finisher for ASU in the women's race, taking 51st, and Courtney Lewis finished 60th in her season debut.
Alexis Nichols (62) and Anna Pruter (68) were the other two scorers for the Sun Devils. Pruter has now scored in all three of ASU's meets this season, and is the only Sun Devil to have done so with her two ninth-place finishes from the George Kyte Classic and Dave Murray Invitational earlier in September.
"We have three weeks until Pre-Nats and I think the message is pretty simple: we have 21 days to get better," Leslie said. "I think if we can show up with that mentality and kind of a chip on our shoulders each and every day, we can continue to get better and make improvements like we did in this last week. If we can wrap our heads around that and continue to get better, it'll really make the later part of the season exciting."
San Francisco won the women's title as four of the Don's scorers finished in the top-four.
The Sun Devil men started the day for ASU and finished 12th with 324 points, four points off 11th-place South Dakota.
Just like ASU's last outing, John Reniewicki was the squad's top-finisher, this time taking 41st in the loaded field.
True freshman Jackson Lewis finished 73rd overall, and did so after surging through the field through the last 3K and passing nearly 30 runners on the way. Lewis was as far back as 112th after the first 3K and finished the 8K race in 27:10.6.
"On the men's side, they kind of kicked off the day and we saw some really good things," Leslie said. "Over the last week, you can definitely tell we've gotten better. They executed a plan, and on a brutal day, they ran extremely well."
The Sun Devil's third-best finisher was Ryan Normand in 86th, and true freshman Erik Gonzalez took 96th, while Michael Renner completed the scoring when he crossed the line in 102nd.
"There are still some things to get better at, still some pieces that hopefully we'll be able to insert as championship season approaches and I think we still haven't reached our potential for what we can do this season," Leslie said.
The race in Minneapolis puts a bow on the month of September for Sun Devil cross country as ASU's next race is scheduled for Oct. 7, back in the state of Arizona at the Mesa Thunderbird Classic.
Roy Griak Invitational |Sept. 23, 2017 | Minneapolis
Men's 8K Results
41. John Reniewicki – 26:24.5
73. Jackson Lewis – 27:10.6
86. Ryan Normand – 27:29.5
94. Erik Gonzalez – 27:50.8
102. Michael Renner – 28:05.4
107. Nick Dale – 28:18.2
--. Brandon Boys – DNF
Women's 6K Results
25. Samantha Ortega – 22:29.1
51. Chelsey Albertson – 22:55.9
60. Courtney Lewis – 23:09.7
62. Alexis Nichols – 23:11.7
68. Anna Pruter – 23:18.0
89. Billie Jo Dytrt – 23:40.3
91. Angela Saitta – 23:44.1
108. Daan Haven – 24:07.1
Men's Team Results
1. Colorado State – 47 pts.
2. Michigan State – 55
3. UCLA – 63
4. Minnesota – 135
5. San Francisco – 140
--
12. Arizona State – 324
Women's Team Results
1. San Francisco – 22 pts.
2. Iowa State – 72
3. Minnesota – 85
4. Michigan State – 91
5. South Dakota – 205
--
8. Arizona State – 242
Ortega's finish reflects her consistent run on the 6K course. Despite being in 39th-place through the first kilometer, Ortega was only three seconds off the leader at the mark. She methodically moved up as the race progressed to become the Sun Devils' top-finisher on the day with a time of 22:29.1.
"Sam executed and kind of sifted her way through a great, national caliber field like a seasoned veteran," assistant coach Cory Leslie said. "She ran with great wherewithal and really navigated this course, and this weather, and all of the variables extremely well."
Senior Chelsey Albertson was the second-best finisher for ASU in the women's race, taking 51st, and Courtney Lewis finished 60th in her season debut.
Alexis Nichols (62) and Anna Pruter (68) were the other two scorers for the Sun Devils. Pruter has now scored in all three of ASU's meets this season, and is the only Sun Devil to have done so with her two ninth-place finishes from the George Kyte Classic and Dave Murray Invitational earlier in September.
"We have three weeks until Pre-Nats and I think the message is pretty simple: we have 21 days to get better," Leslie said. "I think if we can show up with that mentality and kind of a chip on our shoulders each and every day, we can continue to get better and make improvements like we did in this last week. If we can wrap our heads around that and continue to get better, it'll really make the later part of the season exciting."
San Francisco won the women's title as four of the Don's scorers finished in the top-four.
The Sun Devil men started the day for ASU and finished 12th with 324 points, four points off 11th-place South Dakota.
Just like ASU's last outing, John Reniewicki was the squad's top-finisher, this time taking 41st in the loaded field.
True freshman Jackson Lewis finished 73rd overall, and did so after surging through the field through the last 3K and passing nearly 30 runners on the way. Lewis was as far back as 112th after the first 3K and finished the 8K race in 27:10.6.
"On the men's side, they kind of kicked off the day and we saw some really good things," Leslie said. "Over the last week, you can definitely tell we've gotten better. They executed a plan, and on a brutal day, they ran extremely well."
The Sun Devil's third-best finisher was Ryan Normand in 86th, and true freshman Erik Gonzalez took 96th, while Michael Renner completed the scoring when he crossed the line in 102nd.
"There are still some things to get better at, still some pieces that hopefully we'll be able to insert as championship season approaches and I think we still haven't reached our potential for what we can do this season," Leslie said.
The race in Minneapolis puts a bow on the month of September for Sun Devil cross country as ASU's next race is scheduled for Oct. 7, back in the state of Arizona at the Mesa Thunderbird Classic.
Roy Griak Invitational |Sept. 23, 2017 | Minneapolis
Men's 8K Results
41. John Reniewicki – 26:24.5
73. Jackson Lewis – 27:10.6
86. Ryan Normand – 27:29.5
94. Erik Gonzalez – 27:50.8
102. Michael Renner – 28:05.4
107. Nick Dale – 28:18.2
--. Brandon Boys – DNF
Women's 6K Results
25. Samantha Ortega – 22:29.1
51. Chelsey Albertson – 22:55.9
60. Courtney Lewis – 23:09.7
62. Alexis Nichols – 23:11.7
68. Anna Pruter – 23:18.0
89. Billie Jo Dytrt – 23:40.3
91. Angela Saitta – 23:44.1
108. Daan Haven – 24:07.1
Men's Team Results
1. Colorado State – 47 pts.
2. Michigan State – 55
3. UCLA – 63
4. Minnesota – 135
5. San Francisco – 140
--
12. Arizona State – 324
Women's Team Results
1. San Francisco – 22 pts.
2. Iowa State – 72
3. Minnesota – 85
4. Michigan State – 91
5. South Dakota – 205
--
8. Arizona State – 242