Cross Country: Women Take Fifth, Men Ninth at Tiger Invitational

HAYS, Kan. -- Jenna Dorsey-Spitz fought off illness to take fourth among scoring runners and lead the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs women's cross country team to a fifth-place finish at the Tiger Invitational.

The UCCS men took ninth at the same event.

Dorsey-Spitz covered to five-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 4.53 seconds. Kaitlin Frier was next for the Mountain Lions, taking 23rd with a time of 20:21.35, while Christy Severy, Alici Del Pardo, Tavia Hammond, Vivian Reed, Paige Hall and Whitney Lund all finished in the top half of the 102-runner field.

Nebraska-Kearney had four of the top nine scorers to run away with the team title. Butler Community College took second and host Fort Hays State was third.

Dan Pinter led a flu-ravaged Mountain Lions men's team by taking 22nd among scorers in 27:10.48. Gabe Small was next for the UCCS men in 42nd, while Branson Bartlett, who normally runs with Pinter, fought through the nausea to take 46th. Alex Tiernan was 49th.

It was the final tune-up for UCCS prior to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, which will be held Oct. 20 in Durango.