Results

TACOMA, Wash. — Sal Mattivi and Maddie Mitchell provided a one-two punch on Saturday, finishing within three seconds of each other and setting the pace for the Pacific Lutheran University women's cross country team at its home invitational.
 
Mattivi was the top Lute finisher at the PLU Invitational, covering the 6,000-meter course in 24 minutes, 58.3 seconds to finish 46th overall. Mitchell was in hot pursuit with the first-year making her 6K debut by finishing 47th in 25:01.1.
 
Jessalyn Robles stopped the clock in 25:50.1 to place 70th overall while Rachel Rosario was five spots back in 76th in 25:57.8. Natalie Moran-Padilla rounded out the scoring five for the Lutes, placing 87th in 26:13.1.
 
Mariel Robles was 92nd in 26:37.5 while Piper Gannon was 106th in 27:38.0.

"It was great to get out there today and have all nine of the conference teams visit us in our own backyard (literally)," said Head Coach Francis Reynolds.
 
"We didn't know what to expect from the teams, as it was the first 6K of the season for women. We practiced being aggressive at the start of the race earlier this week in practice, and we were pleased to see how both teams got out in the first mile. We lost a little bit of focus and competitiveness in the middle of the race, but that comes with the territory of not having raced in three weeks."

PLU placed 10th in the final team standings, owning a 38-point buffer on Everett Community College. Northwest Conference nemesis George Fox University claimed the team title with 38 points while Whitworth University was second with a score of 57. 

Alauna Carstens of The Evergreen State College won the race by a comfortable margin, crossing the line in 21:19.9.

"We look forward to the next several weeks of training and competing, where we can improve upon our performances today. We will be ready to go when we host the conference championships in six weeks!"
 
PLU takes next weekend off before traveling across the Cascade Mountains to Walla Walla, Washington for the Whitman Open on October 4.