


SALEM, Ore. – The trio of Kara Lubieniecki. Alia Gray, and Tori Tyler finished 2-3-4 as the third-ranked Chico State women’s cross country team dominated a showdown with 10th-ranked Augustana (S.D.) to win the Willamette Invitational Saturday. Nine Chico State runners crossed the line among the first 31 finishers and the Wildcats tallied just 43 points to second-place Augustana’s 114. The University of Idaho, the 15th-ranked Division I team in the West Region, finished third with 116 points.
Lubieniecki covered the five-kilometer course in 17:47.90, leading the trio of Wildcats who basically finished as a group. The finish was especially gratifying for Tyler, who has been battling an injury but showed marked improvement over her performance from last week. Idaho’s Teegan Schoch won the race in 17:26.92.
The team's lone senior, Julie Shaw, finished 13th.
Julie Shaw, in 13th place, was the fourth Wildcat to cross the line in 18:09, and Colleen Joyce finished 21st in 18:18 to complete Chico State’s scorers. Amy Schnittger and Alyssa Flores (18:21 each) weren’t far behind in 25th and 26th, nor were Shannon Rich (18:24) and Michelle Johnson (18:2 in 30th and 31st.
Other Paige Henker (40th – 18:32) and Samantha Racine (49th – 18:36) also finished among the top 50 in the 203-athlete field.
The Wildcats will now set their sights on Friday’s San Francisco State Invitational, which is the final tune-up before the postseason begins with the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships On Oct. 24.
Results from the men's and women's races.