by Benny Benton
CARY, N.C. – Barton College senior Sharon Kiptoo was the top intercollegiate runner and placed sixth overall among 96 competitors Friday in the Adidas XC Challenge, which was held at Wake Med Soccer Park.
The strong showing by the Eldoret, Kenya, resident led the Lady Bulldogs to a sixth-place team finish among 11 programs taking part in the 5K event. Barton was fourth among intercollegiate programs, as the top two squads were outside competitors, the Bull City Track Club and the NC State University Club.
Kiptoo trailed only runners from the two clubs and three other unattached competitors in the race with her time of 19:49.3. She finished 2.5 seconds ahead of the next intercollegiate runner, Emily Latimer of Virginia Wesleyan University.
Barton also received a top-30 finish from sophomore Meghan Araldi, who produced a career-best mark of 21:44.8 to claim 27th place.
Freshman Brooke Lonergan squeezed into the top half of the field, placing 48th with a time of 24:17.9. She was four spots ahead of senior teammate Judith Melly, who came in 52nd with a mark of 24:56.5. Freshman Andrea Mills provided the final counting score, finishing 61st with an effort of 26:59.9.
The Bull City Track Club took first place with 39 points, narrowly edging the NC State University Club, which posted 43 points. Fayetteville State University was the leading intercollegiate program with 101 points, followed by Meredith College with 118, Virginia Wesleyan with 146 and Barton with 148. Salem College was well back of the Lady Bulldogs in sixth with 183 points.
Barton will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Bulldog Stampede in Wingate, N.C. The event, which will be hosted by Wingate University, will serve as a preview of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, which will take place on the same course in early November.
