SALEM, Ore. – The NAIA’s No. 1-ranked Azusa Pacific women’s cross country team rolled to its second straight victory in as many meets, winning the Gold 5K of the Charles Bowles Invitational hosted by Willamette University in Salem, Ore.
Led by NAIA All-American Jacky Kipwambok, the Cougars posted another marvelous team time of 1:28:05 with the top 5 runners averaging a sizzling 17:37.
Kipwambok registered her second straight sub-17-minute 5K and the third of her career with a 16:51 to win the 242-athlete race. Her nearest competitor, Concordia’s Rocio Pelayo, was a distant second by 35 seconds. For Kipwambok, it’s her third victory in as many meets this season and her ninth in the past 12 meets dating back to her 2007 freshman season.
The Cougars dominated the team race by placing 4 runners in the Top 10. Sophomore Lauren Jimison was fifth with a 17:38 while freshman Poppy Lawman was seventh at 17:47. Junior Kayla Carstensen finished ninth at 17:50.
Junior Victoria Martinez, who has been the Cougars’ No. 2 runner in this season’s first 2 meets, was not feeling well throughout the week leading into today’s meet and it showed with her 17:59, some 30 seconds off her pace of 2 weeks ago. Nonetheless, she finished 17th and rounded at Azusa Pacific’s team score with 35 points.
In a break from standard cross country practice, Willamette officials divided the field of teams into 2 sections, one that included schools from all 3 NCAA divisions and another in which Azusa Pacific and its NAIA mates were relegated to a secondary section that included junior college and club teams.
The NAIA’s No. 4-ranked Biola finished second to Azusa Pacific with 78 points, and No. 8 Concordia was third with 140 points.
Despite its reduced placement in the competitive field, Azusa Pacific still clocked the best team time of any school in the meet, including nationally-ranked NCAA Division II Chico State, which won the Cardinal (NCAA schools) 5K with a 1:29:52. In fact, the Cougars would have won the Cardinal 5K with 29 points.
The Cougars validated their top billing in the NAIA by winning their face since earning the No. 1 spot in the coaches poll 2 weeks ago.
“This was a very fine performance under excellent weather conditions,” said Cougar head coach Preston Grey. “Statistically, the times weren’t as good as 2 weeks ago, but this effort was rather impressive when you consider that Victoria was not at full strength. We beat 5 teams ranked in the Top 15 and solidified our place in the poll.”
The Cougar men finished seventh in the Gold 8K race with 254 points, but junior Abednego Magut won the men’s race with a career-best time of 23:49. He won by 24 seconds over David Laney of Southern Oregon University.
Junior J.J. Timphony was 35th with a very fine 8K time of 25:10 and senior Forrest Lewton was 43rd with a 25:19.
“I’m encouraged by the closing of the cap between our top 3 runners,” said Grey. “J.J. and Forrest really ran good races for them, but we have to get better at the 4 and 5 spots. Overall, we improved today but didn’t do enough to make a major jump in the polls.”
Azusa Pacific takes the next 2 weekends off and returns to competition Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Biola Invitational.
