Sept. 21, 2005

SAN DIEGO -

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CROSS COUNTRY TRAVELS TO STANFORD INVITATIONAL SATURDAY
* The San Diego State women's cross country team hopes to build on its early season success this Saturday when it travels to the prestigious 32nd annual Stanford Invitational set for 5:15 p.m. at the Stanford Golf Course.

The Aztecs will compete in the 6,000-meters, which is the fourth collegiate race of the day. More than 3,000 runners representing both the collegiate and high school levels are set for the the largest cross country meet in Northern California.

SDSU will face stiff competition this week, including host and fourth-ranked Stanford, No. 15 UC Santa Barbara and MWC foe UNLV.

For the first time this season, the Aztecs will run a 6K course, which is the distance used at November's important conference, regional and national championship meets.

SDSU has run the 5K distance at the Fullerton Season Opener and the Aztec Invitational.

2004 STANFORD INVITATIONAL FLASHBACK
* The San Diego State women's cross country finished 16th in a 19-team field at the 2004 Stanford Invitational. Host Stanford captured the team crown with 34 points followed by Cal Poly (84 pts.), Chico State (98 pts.), UC Irvine (113 pts.) and UC Davis (141 pts.)

Then junior Christal Cuadra was the Aztecs' top individual finisher for the second consecutive meet covering the 6K course in 23:22 for 42nd place. Anita Siraki of Stanford won the the individual title with a time of 21:14.

2005 returnees Ali Baker (24:34) and Sara Cates (24:53) took 83rd and 90th, respectively. Celeste Tyson (99th - 25:14) and Jackie Duncan, (25:37 - 107th) also completed the course for the Aztecs.

2004 Stanford Invite Results
Final Team Results (Top 5): 1. Stanford, 34; 2. Cal Poly 84; 3. Chico State, 98; 4. UC Irvine, 113; 5. UC Davis, 141; 16. San Diego State, 398.

6K Individual Results (2005 Returnees only):
42. Christal Cuadra (23.22); 83. Ali Baker (24:34); 90. Sara Cates (24:53); 99. Celeste Tyson (25:14); 107. Jackie Duncan (25:37).

2005 AZTEC INVITE REWIND
* Aztec sophomore Lital Azulay (Holon, Israel) placed eighth in 18:12 to lead the San Diego State women's cross country team to a third-place finish Saturday at the 61st Annual Aztec Invitational at Balboa Park. No. 17 Arkansas won the women's invitational division with 31 points, followed by Northern Arizona (83 pts.), SDSU (98 pts.), Loyola Marymount (116 pts.) and Cal Coast (124 pts.)

"I was very pleased with our team's performance, finishing behind two cross country powerhouses," SDSU coach Jennifer Nanista said. "This was not an easy course and we came out and ran a good, solid race."

Lital Azulay, making her scarlet and black debut, came in 43 seconds behind the leader, Johanna Nilsson of Northern Arizona, who finished the 5K race in 17:29. Azulay's clocking was the fastest Aztec 5K time since Sophia Hawker's 18:11 showing at the 1999 NCAA championships.

SDSU placed six other runners in the top 40, including senior Christal Cuadra (20th - 18:42), junior Lisa Crampton (23rd - 18:56), sophomore Lisa Naucler (26th - 19:02) and juniors Celeste Tyson (33rd - 19:18), Sarah Belger (39th - 19:46) and Sara Cates (40th - 19:46).

Other Aztec finishers included sophomore Briana Powell (65th - 20:52), freshman Amanda Maydeck (71st - 21:22), sophomore Anne Vieira (74th - 21:35) and junior Dora Sanders (75th 21:35).

In the women's open division, Grace Jepngetich of Vanguard University won the individual title in 19:04, while Point Loma Nazarene captured the team crown.

The Northern Arizona men's squad, led by winner Joseph Lomong (25:43), took the team trophy in the 8K invitational race, placing four runners in the top ten. Gateway Community College (Ariz.) won the men's open division over local school Southwestern College 51-68.

2005 Aztec Invite Results (Women's Invite Division)
Final Team Results (Top 5): 1. Arkansas, 31; 2. Northern Arizona 83; 2. San Diego State, 98; 4. Loyola Marymount 116; 5. Cal Coast TC, 124.

Aztec Individual 5K Results:
8. Lital Azulay (18:12); 20.Christal Cuadra (18:42); 23. Lisa Crampton (18:56); 26. Lisa Naucler (19:02); 33. Celeste Tyson (19:18; 39. Sarah Belger (19:46); 40. Sara Cates (19:46); 65. Briana Powell (20.52); 71. Amanda Maydeck (21:22); 74.Anne Vieira (21:35); 75. Dora Sanders (21:35).