CMS Women's Cross Country Takes SCIAC Title For Ninth Straight Season

CHINO, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's cross country team had seven of the top 14 finishers as it captured its ninth straight SCIAC championship, defeating Pomona-Pitzer by 22 points.

CMS finished with 34 points, as its top five scorers finished in the 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11 spots on the individual leaderboard. Pomona-Pitzer had the top two finishers, with Helen Guo winning in 22:59.3, but the CMS depth proved too much to overcome as the Sagehens ended a distant second with 56 points. Occidental was third with 89 points, followed by Redlands with 103 and Caltech with 150, rounding out the top five. 

Sophomore Abigale Johnson was the top finisher for the Athenas, coming in fourth place with a time of 23:29.2. She was followed five seconds later by senior Malea Martin in fifth place (23:34.2). Senior Natalie Marsh was in sixth place in 23:40.8, while sophomore Dulcie Jones had a top 10 finish as well, coming in eighth place in 24:03.4. 

Junior Georgia Scherer secured the team title for CMS as the fifth Athena to cross in 11th place, earning a time of 24:24.6. Riley Harmon was five seconds behind her in 12th, while senior Matilda Msall was in 14th place in 24:34.2, edging out Rachael Dela Cruz of La Verne by a tenth of a second. Freshman Sophie Gitlin was in 16th place in 24:35.5, and sophomore Jackie McVay also earned a top 20 spot in 19th place with a time of 24:43.8. 

The Athenas depth was especially evident as it had 11 runners finish between 21-41, out of the 118-runner field. Olivia Gleason (21st) and Morgan Blevins (23rd) were in the top 25, while Alexandra Lambros (28th) and Serena Myjer (30th) were in the top 30. Olivia Palenscar (32), Samantha Baker (34), Brooklyn Button (35), Chloe Taylor (37), Laura Fleming (39), Theresa Versen (40) and Sophia Liles (41) then all crossed the line in a wave of Athenas. 

CMS will have a week off before returning to action at the NCAA West Regionals in Walla Walla, on Nov. 10.