CROSS COUNTRY
The Saint Louis University cross country team ran in their first Atlantic 10 Conference Championship meet on Saturday in Philadelphia, Penn.
The men’s team took 11th overall, and the women’s team finished 12th.
Sophomore Steve Vargas paced the men, finishing 32nd overall, running the five-mile course in a time of 26:07.
Fellow sophomore Mat Stuber finished second for the Bills with a time of 26:58.
Junior Paul Lemon was third for the team, posting a time of 27:06. Duquesne University took home the A-10 crown.
Sophomore Laura Coyer led the way for the Billiken women, covering the 5K course in a time of 19:49, finishing 54th overall.
Junior Beth Shearman came in second for the team with a time of 19:54.
Junior Anissa Reynolds just missed breaking 20 minutes, running a time of 20:01.
La Salle University was first overall, placing five runners in the top 13 of the race.
The team will spend this week training for Saturday’s NCAA Regionals in Iowa City, Iowa.
MEN’S GOLF
Riding high after posting two first place finishes in their last two events, the men’s golf team traveled to Charlotte, N.C., to play in the 49er Collegiate Classic.
In adverse conditions, the team was unable to carry their momentum, finishing 14th in the tournament.
Junior Ryan Blechle posted rounds of 71, 78 and 80, allowing him to finish 23rd overall. Senior Barry O’Neil also finished in the top 30, posting scores of 76, 77 and 77.
He was tied for 29th overall. Host Charlotte won the event by 20 strokes.
The tournament marked the end of the fall schedule for the Billikens.
The team will not return to action until March, when they will travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to compete in the North/South Intercollegiate.
WOMEN’S GOLF
The women’s team also finished their fall slate by participating in the F&M Bank Austin Peay Intercollegiate in Clarksville, Tenn. The team finished in 16th place. Sophomore Jenny Madras led the way, finishing in a tie for 29th, carding a two-round score of 168.
Fellow sophomores Kaela Burke and Keely Fitzgerald posted scores of 187, tying them for second on the team and 75th overall. The team was rounded out by freshman Caitlyn Cummings and senior Amber Dodman. Butler University took first overall.
The team will have to wait until February to hit the links again, when they will travel to Birmingham, Ala., to compete in the Southern Shootout.
FIELD HOCKEY
The last few weeks have been extremely busy for the Saint Louis University Field Hockey Team. On Oct. 23rd, the team shut out LaSalle University, 1-0, as sophomore goaltender Amy Wasserman continued her dominating season. The shutout was Wasserman’s second straight, and the Atlantic 10 took notice by naming her A-10 Co-Player of the Week.
More good news followed only days later as senior midfielder Jill Mueller was selected by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association to play in its North/South All-Star Game.
However, the team had little time to celebrate as it took on national power Richmond on Saturday with its postseason hopes on the line. A win and a loss by UMASS or St. Joseph’s would ensure the Billikens a berth in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The team ultimately fell short in its efforts, falling by a score of 3-0. Richmond extended their conference-winning streak to an incredible 31 games at the Bills’ expense.
The Billikens finished 7-11 for the year and 3-4 in their inaugural year in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The team also received news on Tuesday that coach Maria Whitehead will be taking a medical leave of absence. Assistant coach Katie Kanara will serve as interim coach.
