Women’s CC Preview 9

Saluki women’s cross country coach Don DeNoon needs his veteran runners to step up if SIUC is to have a chance of winning Saturday’s meet at Washington University.

The women will try to improve on Saturday’s fourth-place finish at the Saluki Invitational by attempting to knock off Washington University and the University of Southern Indiana, who beat the Salukis last weekend.

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The SIUC men’s cross country team is idle this weekend.

The women’s team has had one consistent runner, Jenny Monaco, but has had a variety of No. 2 and 3 runners. The team has seen four different runners at those spots in its four meets this season.

We need (Leah) Steele, (Raina) Larsen and Gayla (Harrington) to step up and run where they’re supposed to be running, DeNoon said. They should be 30 to 40 seconds behind Monaco. If we do that, we’ll be competitive and could win, but if not, it will be another third- or fourth-place finish.

DeNoon said the large number of teams, including Washington University and Southern Indiana, should make it a difficult meet. About 20 teams are expected to compete.

It will be a good, competitive meet, but every meet has been competitive for us this year, DeNoon said.

The team has been in striking distance in every meet, but has not come through with a first-place finish.

The Salukis have two second-place finishes and two fourth-place finishes in four meets this year, but are still waiting for a title.

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Harrington said the team is more prepared for the meet this week as opposed to last week.

We’ve had good workouts this week, Harrington said. We’ve been loose and have been taking it easy. A lot of runners were stressed out last weekend with finals, but this weekend we will be ready.

DeNoon said he wants the team to stay relaxed and work on improving their times.

I’m working on getting everybody back in the groove and becoming more consistent in their races, DeNoon said.

The women will be in action at 10 a.m. Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.