Sept. 29, 2006

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Despite losing their captain 800 meters from the finish line due to a turned ankle, the 18th-ranked University of Tennessee women's cross country team still managed to salvage a respectable third-place finish out of 35 schools Friday afternoon in the invitational division race at the 6,000-meter Brooks-Paul Short Run.

The Lady Volunteers, who now sport a 52-3 record on the season, tallied 115 points at Lehigh University's soggy Goodman Campus Course to finish third at the meet for the third time in the past four seasons. No. 13 Princeton edged ninth-ranked Wisconsin, 61-62, for the team title, while UT was third, Villanova took fourth with 138 points and Yale closed out the top five with 178 points. Villanova junior Frances Koons claimed the individual title in a time of 20 minutes, 16 seconds, on a course that was soaked by heavy rains on Thursday.

Big Orange senior Felicia Guliford (Gallup, N.M.) was making a push toward the lead pack with about 800 meters to go when she appeared to step on a piece of debris on the course and turn her right ankle. She attempted to get up and continue but was unable to complete the race. Her status will be re-evaluated later this evening.

In the two-time All-SEC performer's absence, senior Katie Flaute (Dayton, Ohio) moved to the forefront and led the UT pack in a time of 20:50 to card an eighth-place finish out of a field of 237 runners. Flaute, who has now paced Team Orange twice this season and four times in her career, was ninth a year ago at the Paul Short Run.

Freshman Jackie Areson supplied the Lady Vols with her best result in three meets, charting a 16th-place finish in 21:19 in her first race at 6,000 meters. The rookie from Delray Beach, Fla., finished fourth and fifth on the team, respectively, in her first two collegiate meets - the Belmont Opener and Tennessee Invitational.

Sophomore Katie Van Horn was just 10 seconds off her career best for 6K in her first return to her old stomping grounds. The Glendora, N.J., product covered the course in 21:24 to score in third position for UT and place 21st overall. Her previous fastest clocking for that distance was a 21:14.7 effort at the 2005 NCAA Southeast Regional meet while running for the University of Richmond.

Also contributing to the scoring cause for Tennessee were sophomore Sarah Bowman (Warrenton, Va.), who finished 34th in 21:37, and freshman Kelly Parrish (Ocala, Fla.), who was 36th in 21:41. Rookie Rose-Anne Galligan (County Kildare, Ireland) also ran in the invitational race, finishing sixth for Team Orange and 45th overall in 21:49.

Running in the open division race later in the day were sophomore Rolanda Bell (Laurelton, N.Y.) and freshman Phoebe Wright (Signal Mountain, Tenn.). Out of a field of 401 runners, Bell checked in with an impressive finish of 16th at 22:26, while Wright crossed the finish line 39th in 23:03.

"I saw some bright spots today, but we have to continue to move forward," Lady Vol Head Coach J.J. Clark said. "We are going to work on tightening the gaps and moving people closer to the front. We have a good young group, and it's just a matter of them peaking all together.

"It (our point total) would have looked better today had Felicia been able to finish. I was pleased with the way Katie and Jackie responded to keep us in good position."

The Lady Vols will return to Knoxville on Saturday and begin directing their focus toward the ISU Pre-Nationals Invitational, which will take place at the NCAA Championship course in Terre Haute, Ind., on Oct. 14. UT sophomore Leah Soro (Knoxville, Tenn.), who was previously scheduled to open her season at the Paul Short Run, is now expected to debut in Terre Haute.