In her first season as a Gopher, Minnesota junior Rasa Michniovaite won the Roy Griak Invitational Women’s Gold Division I Race at the Les Bolstad Course with a Minnesota season-best time of 17:08. Michniovaite, winner of the Minnesota/Drake Dual earlier this season, is a transfer from the University of Vilnius in Lithuania and a Lithuanian national champion.
Michniovaite is Minnesota’s first individual Roy Griak Invitational champion. Before Michniovaite’s first place run former Gopher Eileen Donaghy held the highest Minnesota individual finish, crossing the line third in 1987.
The Gophers tied for fourth place, their highest finish since placing fourth in 1991. Sophomore Elaine Eggleston was the Gophers’ second finisher, placing 15th with a time of 17:59. Gophers sophomore Corinne Nimtz finished 23rd with a time of 18:06.
Providence senior Sarah Dupre finished second with a time of 17:09 while Oregon’s Marie Davis and Weber State’s Sharlyn Maughan tied for third, crossing the finish line in a time of 17:10.
Men’s CC finishes fifth
The Minnesota men’s cross country team finished fifth with 139 points in the 21-team Division I Gold Race of the Griak Invitational.
Providence won the title with 106 points. Northern Arizona finished second with 114 points, Wisconsin was third with 120 points and Portland finished fourth with 124 points.
Providence’s Ben Noad defended his title, finishing with a time of 24:25. Wisconsin junior Matt Downin finished second with a time of 24:32 while Illinois State senior Chris Bailey crossed the finish line third with a time of 24:47.
The top finisher for the 16th ranked Golden Gophers was sophomore Jeremy Polson, who placed 15th with a time of 25:14.
Lepp leads women’s golf at Lady Northern
Minnesota’s Melanie Lepp shot a second-round 78, the third best score of the day. Lepp finished with a 36-hole total 160 to tie for ninth, leading the Gophers to an eighth-place finish at the Lady Northern Open.
Ohio State won the team title by two strokes over Penn State with a score of 636. First round leader Northwestern, Purdue and Michigan State tied for third at 641.
After shooting and opening round of one-over-par 73 Friday, Northwestern’s Christie Hermes finished with a 79 and a 152 total to win by two strokes over Michigan State’s Kasey Grant and Purdue’s Stacy Orschall.
Other Gophers included Jenny Brunn, tied for 22nd at 163, Katie Bakken, tied for 32nd at 166, Cindy Cannon, tied for 45th at 170, Kristi Weichert, tied for 55th at 173 and Donna Boom tied for 64th at 177.
Minnesota returns to action Oct. 12-13, when they compete in the Big 10/Big 12 Shootout in Bloomington, Ind.
Men’s tennis wins two at New Mexico
The Minnesota men’s tennis team defeated New Mexico State at the second annual New Mexico Alumni Tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday and Saturday.
The Gophers claimed four singles matches and two doubles matches on Friday. On Saturday, the Gophers defeated New Mexico 4-3. Competing at No. 1 singles, Parry defeated defeated Pepe Caballero, 7-5, 7-5, while at No. 2 singles Adam Selkirk defeated Nick Dubey.