by MACOMB, Ill. – The North Dakota State women’s cross country team had its top five finishers place in the top 13 overall, but the upset bid came up short for the Bison women, who finished second at the Summit League Championships behind regionally ranked South Dakota on Saturday.
It was the tightest team race in the league since 2010, as South Dakota totaled 43 points and NDSU took second with 48. South Dakota State placed third with 55 points.
Sophomore Brittany Brownotter (Standing Rock Sioux) led the Bison, placing sixth with a time of 21:53.4 for the six-kilometer course. Sophomore Emma Kusch Dahle took eighth place in 22:00.9, and freshman Melina Kuerschner was 10th in 22:07.9.
Senior Taylor Janssen and sophomore Kayla Huhnerkoch completed the scoring for NDSU in 11th and 13th place, respectively. Kusch Dahle, Kuerschner and Huhnerkoch all clocked personal-best times for the 6k.
NDSU’s team score of 48 points was an improvement over 51 a year ago. The Bison women were voted third in the league’s preseason poll.
NDSU’s top five finishers all earned All-Summit League recognition, with Brownotter on the first team for the second year in a row and Kusch Dahle, Kuerschner, Janssen and Huhnerkoch on the second team.
NDSU will race next at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 11 in Iowa City, Iowa.
