Michigan
Buckeye Preview
Wolverines, VanderLende Victorious at Ohio State
9/28/2019 11:38:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State Golf Course)
Event: Buckeye Preview
Distance: Six Kilometers (3.73 miles)
U-M Team Finish: 1st of 12 teams (41 points)
Top U-M Individual: Ericka VanderLende, 1st (20:17.85)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 19 -- at Pre-National Invitational (Terre Haute, Ind.)
• Complete Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team was victorious in its first visit to the course on which it will go for its fourth straight Big Ten Conference team title later this fall at the Ohio State Buckeye Preview on Saturday (Sept. 28).
The Wolverines swept the individual and team titles as first-year collegian Ericka VanderLende notched her second win in three races to lead Michigan to a decisive victory over Illinois, 41-61. Rival No. 21 Ohio State was third with 74 points, No. 16 Penn State posted 87, and No. 11 Michigan State did not run its top squad in ninth.
Michigan will seek a redux of these results in Columbus on Nov. 3, when the Wolverines return to Columbus for the Big Ten Championships.
Running in her first six-kilometer (3.73-mile) cross country race, the two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Week VanderLende covered the Ohio State Golf Course circuit in 20:17.85, nearly 16 seconds ahead of Ohio State's Lainey Studebaker.
Rounding out Michigan's scoring lineup, comprised of its top five runners, were sixth-place Kathryn House (20:55.25), ninth-place Maddy Trevisan (21:13.60), 11th-place Micaela DeGenero (21:14.82) and 14th-place Jena Metwalli (21:19.30).
Along with All-American Camille Davre in 15th (21:19.4), Michigan put six runners in the top 15. No other team was able to put more than five across in the top 25.
The Wolverines showed an early return to the same pack-running ways that served them so well in 2018 en route to a third straight Big Ten title and a fourth-place NCAA Championships finish. While VanderLende came through about 37 seconds ahead of No. 2 runner House, less than 25 seconds separated House from No. 6 runner Davre.
The group made a big effort to move into position by the three-kilometer (1.86-mile) midpoint of the race. Between the 1K and 3K splits, Michigan's top five runners gained a collective 86 spots in the standings as a thick pack gave way to a more strung-out field as the race wore on.
VanderLende came through the halfway point at the head of a four-woman lead group but created significant separation from them in the second half of the race. With just a kilometer to go, she was in the clear with no opponent near her.
House followed up on her breakthrough performance at Indiana State last weekend with another strong effort and put herself near the front early and did not let up. After crossing halfway in sixth, she did not relent from that position the rest of the way.
This week's breakthrough performance came from DeGenero, who took 11th for Michigan as its No. 4 runner. A mid-distance specialist on the track, she showed her speed in the race's closing stages Saturday. Only six other women ran faster than her over the final three kilometers as she moved up five spots during that frame.
No. 5 runner Metwalli was just as impressive late, as ahe moved up three positions over the final three kilometers with a 10:48.0 split.
The Wolverines will be off until Oct. 19 when they return to Terre Haute, Indiana, for the Pre-National Invitational in what will be their last high-profile race of the regular season.
Michigan Results
1. Ericka VanderLende -- 20:17.85
6. Kathryn House -- 20:55.25
9. Maddy Trevisan -- 21:13.60
11. Micaela DeGenero -- 21:14.82
14. Jena Metwalli -- 21:19.30
15. Camille Davre -- 21:19.40
22. Kayla Keane -- 21:40.38
28. Raquel Powers -- 21:50.63
29. Emma Sloan -- 21:52.00
40. Faith Reynolds -- 22:06.70
58. Samantha Saenz -- 22:25.41
61. Megan Worrel -- 22:29.55
64. Charlotte Cochrane -- 22:32.01
67. Alice Hill -- 22:33.19
68. Julia Vanitvelt -- 22:35.74
75. Meghan Monaghan -- 22:45.46
84. Aurora Rynda -- 22:59.14
90. Hannah Palomino -- 23:11.66
106. Lexi Munley -- 23:39.59
124. Audrey Belf -- 24:31.17
Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN -- 41 points
2. Illinois -- 61
3. Ohio State -- 74
4. Penn State -- 87
5. Grand Valley State -- 131
6. Vanderbilt -- 140
7. Temple -- 240
8. Miami (Ohio) -- 246
9. Michigan State -- 255
10. Toledo -- 260
11. Northwestern -- 316
12. Rutgers -- 330
Players Mentioned
