The Hillsdale College women's cross country team acquitted itself well against the toughest competition it's faced this season on Saturday.
The Chargers competed in the highest division of the Louisville Cross Country Classic on Saturday, taking on a field of NCAA Division I and elite NCAA Division II team from across the nation.
Hillsdale held its own, finishing 24th out of 41 teams, including seventh among NCAA DII squads in the race, and beating several Division I squads in the competition.
The Chargers were carried once again by excellent days from its top trio of experienced veterans, who are proving to be a force to be reckoned with no matter the size and scope of the competition.
Sophomore Liz Wamsley was the leader for Hillsdale, finishing 51st in the 5K race in a personal best time of 17:38.5 and edging out Cedarville rival Alayna Ackley at the line to finish as the top competitor from the G-MAC on the course.
While Wamsley had the top finish, juniors Gwynne Riley and Margaret Scheske weren't far behind once again. Riley had an excellent day, breaking the 18 minute mark for the first time in a collegiate 5K and finishing 75th overall in 17:54.4, while Scheske was just behind in 78th place with her first-ever sub-18 minute collegiate 5K in 17:56.4.
Sophomore Kayla Loescher took 230th as well for the Chargers in a new personal best of 18:57.1, and sophomore Vera Thompson also ran a personal best 5K time of 19:07.7 to finish 255th and round out Hillsdale's scoring runners.
Junior Natalie Martinson took 283rd in a personal best time of 19:20.5 as well for the Chargers, sophomore Brynn Edison finished 338th in a personal best time of 19:57.3, and freshman Katie Edison finished 362nd in a time of 20:34.5 as well.
The Chargers will look to continue to improve and round into a team that can challenge defending G-MAC champion Cedarville at the conference championships on Nov. 5. Hillsdale's next race takes place on Saturday, Oct. 8 as the Chargers travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin to preview what will be the NCAA DII Midwest Regional course in the Lucian Rosa Invite.