Carolina Cross Country Brings Home Eye Opener Team Title
The Gamecocks had five of the top nine runners in Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG—The Gamecock women’s cross country squad came away victorious at the Eye Opener meet at USC Upstate, winning Friday night’s season-opening meet with 28 points.
Cross country coach Andrew Allden said he was pleased with his team’s result and effort.
“It’s always nice to open with a win,” Allden said. “Hannah Twine made a push for the win. She was leading at the mile mark before winding up in second. It was a great debut for freshman Lilly Weeks. The times we had are a reflection of the 82-degree heat and a course with a series of long climbs.”
Twine and Weeks took second and third, respectively, leading the way to victory. Twine finished the 5K with a time of 18:51.7 and Weeks crossed the line in 18:52.2.
Kira Jenkins, Claudia Satzke and Syrah Ghijselings rounded out the Gamecock scoring effort. Jenkins took sixth, crossing the line with a time of 19:14.9. Satzke and Ghijselings finished back-to-back in eighth and ninth, respectively. Satzke clocked in with a time of 19:29.6 and Ghijselings was right behind her teammate with a time of 19:30.7.
Each of the other eight Gamecocks also finished in the top 50 of a 105-athlete field.
Weeks and Ghijselings were a major factor for the Gamecocks, finishing in third and ninth, respectively. Allden mentioned the pair as key members of the incoming freshman class.
Wofford was the next-closest team to Carolina in the team standings. The Wofford women scored 71 points, giving the Gamecocks a 43-point advantage for the team victory.
Carolina cross country returns to action on Sept. 18 when it makes another in-state trip. The Gamecocks will compete in the Winthrop Invitational.
Team Results
1. South Carolina – 28 points
2. Wofford – 71 points
3. Augusta – 95 points
Individual Results
2. Hannah Twine – 18:51.7
3. Lilly Weeks – 18:52.2
6. Kira Jenkins – 19:14.9
8. Claudia Satzke – 19:26.9
9. Syrah Ghijselings – 19:30.7
11. Katerina Hendrix – 19:40.2
14. Savannah Bowers – 19:47.8
23. Kathleen Abrams – 20:20.8
28. Isabella Pisani – 20:29.8
29. Jenna Pellizzari – 20:34.5
34. Emily Pierontoni – 20:45.5
39. Kensi Gray – 20:59.3
50. Lyndsey Fowler – 21:43.1
