by Kevin Buczek
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-The Lady Bulldogs' top-7 harriers all scored new season-best 5k times in leading the Barton College women's cross country team to an 11th place finish out of 30 teams in the 2013 Royal Cross Country Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte at McAlpine Creek Park on Friday afternoon.
Junior transfer Angelica Del Real continues to be the Lady Bulldogs pacesetter finishing 22nd out of 240 non-Division I runners. Del Real notched her top-25 result by completing the 3.1 mile course in 18:47. The Socorro, Texas, products time was her best mark in three 5k races this season.
Three other Barton endurance runners finished in the top-10 individuals as Barton took 11th with 280 points. No. 2 Southeast Region ranked Wingate University won the team title with 43 points, well ahead of second-place Savannah School of Art and Design (NAIA). The Lady Bulldogs secured wins against 10 Southeast Region teams while six of the eight SE Region teams that defeated BC are ranked in the USTFCCCA regional top-10 poll.
Junior Teal McLean slipped inside the top-50 at 47th with Barton's second best time of 19:23. Senior Ericka Skinner and junior Lauren Andreola followed in 64th and 84th, respectively, with times of 19:48 and 20:13. Junior Cimone Barbour was the fifth scoring runner for the Royal Blue and White crossing the finish line in 20:47. Classmate Andrea Roca (20:50) trailed just three seconds later as six Lady Bulldogs placed in the upper-half of the deep field.
Sophomore Lauren Yoho was the seventh consecutive Barton harrier to register their fastest 5k time of 2013 when she clocked in at 21:57. Freshman Heather Cuddington (21:59) completed competition for the Lady Bulldogs just two seconds later.
Barton next competes in the 2013 Conference Carolinas Championships hosted by Belmont Abbey College on Friday, October 25 at Frank Liske Park in Concord, N.C.
Royal Challenge (Women's 5k)
280 – Barton (11th/30)
18:47.4 – Angelica Del Real (22nd/240)
19:23.3 – Teal McLean (47th)
19:48.6 – Ericka Skinner (64th)
20:13.4 – Lauren Andreola (84th)
20:47.9 – Cimone Barbour (111th)
20:50.3 – Andrea Roca (113th)
21:57.5 – Lauren Yoho (151st)
21:59.1 – Heather Cuddington (153rd)
