Complete results

SEATTLE – As Natty Plunkett was getting her breath back following Saturday's Sundodger Invitational cross country meet, one of her friends came up to her, gave her a hug and started chatting.

“I had no idea you were so good at this,” she said to the Seattle Pacific senior.

Plunkett laughed. But the friend had a point. After a less-than-stellar start to her 6-kilometer run, Plunkett came on with a flying finish and took 14th place in the women's Open Division on a crisp, cloudy morning at West Seattle's Lincoln Park.

Plunkett (Bellevue, Wash./Newport HS), who ran here as a freshman in 2008, but missed the 2009 and 2010 races because of injuries, came across the line in 22 minutes, 35.45 seconds. Close behind her were Heidi Laabs-Johnson (Salt Lake City) in 17th with a time of 22:39.73, and freshman Jasmine Johnson (Federal Way, Wash./Federal Way HS), taking 33rd in 23:04.74.

“I felt confident going into the race,” Plunkett said. “I'm not injured, and I'm probably at the best (point) I've ever been in terms of mentality. At the finish. I felt a lot stronger – I was ready to eat it up. I was thrilled to see my finishing time, because it was pretty doubtful that I would get close to my freshman time (of 22:34.78).”





With Plunkett, Laabs-Johnson and Jasmine Johnson setting the pace, the Falcons finished with 217 points to place seventh among the 17 teams. British Columbia, led by freshman Maria Bernard's runaway victory (she won by 18 seconds in 21:41), rolled to the team title with 47 points. Seattle Pacific conference rival Western Washington was third with 141.

“My goal for the race was accomplished in that they got a feel for having a lot of other runners around them and knowing what to do in that situation,” SPU coach Erika Daligcon said. “It did get a little hairy at the start of the race, but they came on strong. I was real impressed with Jasmine – she got in there and raced hard. Natty and Heidi worked together again, and they felt very positive about the results.”

While Johnson broke free of the main pack early on and held her position in the low 30s from start to finish, Plunkett and Laabs-Johnson were both stuck back around 60th coming through the first half mile.

But less than a quarter mile later, Plunkett already had picked off 10 people in front of her, with Laabs-Johnson keeping up the pace just a few strides behind. By the 4K mark, Plunkett was all the way up to 25th and Laabs-Johnson was in 32nd.

They just kept moving up all the way to their final respective places of 14th and 17th.

In analyzing her own performance afterward, Plunkett that she needs to get off the starting line faster in the weeks ahead.

“I always underestimate how fast my start is,” she said. “It was a little frustrating because there were a number of points during the first 800 where I was jogging and not racing because it was so crowded. There were people going down and shoes coming off and dust flying everywhere.

I was pleased with the consistence of my three miles – and my third mile was my fastest,” she added. “But I definitely need to go out at a faster pace and go out with a faster pack.'

Seattle Pacific returns to the trails next Saturday in Spokane at the Erik Anderson/Runner's Soul Invitational. It will give the Falcons their first chance to try their legs on the course at Plantes Ferry Park, which will be the site of the NCAA Division II West Regionals on Nov. 5 and the D-2 national championships on Nov. 19.


NCAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Sundodger Invitational
Saturday, September 17, 2011
6 kilometers at Lincoln Park / Seattle, Wash.

Team scores – 1, British Columbia 47; 2, Whitman 110; 3, Western Washington 141; 4, San Francisco State 144; 5, Linfield 178; 6, Northwest University 206; 7, Seattle Pacific 218; 8, Whitworth 222; 9, Everett CC 228; 10, Trinity Western 237; 11, Wisconsin-Stout 244; 12, Puget Sound 315; 13, Clackamas CC 327; 14, Pacific Lutheran 339; 15, Saint Martin's 353; 16, George Fox 363; 17, Academy of Art 467.

Top 5 – 1, Maria Bernard (UBC) 21:41.00; 2, Alison Jackson (TW) 21:59.48; 3, Fiona Benson (TW) 22:00.14; 4, Marlene Farrell (Unattached) 22:00.93; 5, Zuleima Jimenez (SF State) 22:09.60. SPU placers – 14, Natty Plunkett 22:35.45; 17, Heidi Laabs-Johnson 22:39.73; 33, Jasmine Johnson 23:04.74; 90, McKayla Fricker 24:13.05; 130, Josie Becker 25:09.03; 137, Elizabeth Doe 25:17.21; 183, Alexis Fynboe, time NA.