Husker Women Place Second at South Dakota Invite

BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Nebraska women placed three runners in the top 10 for the third time this season as it took home a runner-up finish, while the men continued to see improvement with a seventh-place team showing at the South Dakota State Invitational on Saturday.

Sophomore Peter van der Westhuizen ran a career-best 8K of 25:19 to lead all Nebraska runners with a third-place individual finish in the men’s race.

 

The South African was followed by junior co-captain Bryce Dickmeyer in 31st (26:59) and the freshmen duo of Kyle Custer (35th, 27:07) and Brian Parr (36th, 27:09). Custer’s performance was a career best. Junior co-captain Aaron Nasers suffered from sickness to finish 54th (27:55).

 

“Peter ran the best he has in his life for that distance (8K),” said Head Coach Jay Dirksen. “He was having some struggles with an injury, but he hung in there today. Kyle Custer also ran his best race since he began college. Overall, the men did a good job, but they can still run a lot better.”

 

The women’s trio of senior captain Kayte Tranel (fourth, 17:42), junior captain Kim Pancoast (ninth, 18:03) and freshman Ari Goldstein (10th, 18:06) also ran career-best times at Nebraska as the NU women were defeated only by 11th-ranked Minnesota in the team standings.

 

“We made a big step forward today as a team,” said Dirksen. “Each of our women’s runners competed better than they have all year, and some for their entire careers.”

 

Freshman Natalja Zarcenko made it four top 15 finishers for the women with a 14th-place finish in a career-best time of 18:37. In all, seven Nebraska runners enjoyed career best performances.

The Huskers will focus on continuing to improve during a next week's off-week. They will then head to the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 15.

 

South Dakota State Invitational
Oct. 1, 2005 -- Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Results
Edgebrook Golf Course ? Brookings, S.D.

Women’s Team Scores
1. Minnesota - 25
2. Nebraska - 56
3. South DakotaState - 83
4. Northern Iowa - 89
5. Black HillsState - 172

Top FiveFinishersSchool Time
1. Anne Shadle, Reebok - 17:12
2. Ladia Albertson-Junkans, Minnesota - 17:15
3. Emily Brown, Minnesota ? 17:16
4. Kayte Tranel, Nebraska - 17:42
5. Lauren Williams, Minnesota - 17:43

NU Finishers:
4. Kayte Tranel, NU - 17:42
9. Kim Pancoast, NU - 18:03
10. Ari Goldstein, NU - 18:06
14. Natalja Zarcenko, NU - 18:37
28. Joslyn Dalton, NU - 19:03
43. Betsy Miller, NU - 19:25
44. Michaela Lenihan, NU - 19:25
49. Rachel Carrizales, NU - 19:32
73. Val Zajac, NU - 20:24

Men’s Team Scores
1. South DakotaState - 54
2. Drake - 64
3. MinnesotaState - Mankato - 71
4. North DakotaState - 137
5. Northern Iowa ? 144

Top FiveFinishersSchool Time
1. Brad Lowery, South DakotaState - 24:51
2. Tony Turgeon, South Dakota - 25:07
3. Peter van der Westhuizen, Nebraska - 25:19
4. Zach Kintzley, Black HillsState - 25:45
5. Ben Klungtvedt, MinnesotaState - Mankato - 25:46

NU Finishers
3. Peter van der Westhuizen, NU - 25:19
31. Bryce Dickmeyer, NU - 26:59
35. Kyle Custer, NU - 27:07
36. Brian Parr, NU - 27:09
59. Aaron Nasers, NU - 27:55