Sunday, September 09, 2007

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2007) - A day after the ETSU men's cross country team opened its season with a solid performance the women followed up with the same effort, as the Buccaneer runners battled through the hot temperatures, and turned in a strong season opening run in the Irish Brigade Commemorative 5K at Sycamore Shoals Historic State Park Sunday. 

It did not take long for freshmen twins Tesha and Terra Haggard (Morristown, Tenn.) to make an immediate impact to the ETSU cross country team. Tesha was the first female runner to cross the finish line (second overall), while sister Terra was right behind her in third.

"I am very pleased with how the twins ran today," said head ETSU women's cross country coach Michelle Byrne. "It's always nice when you have two freshman runners finish atop the leader board; hopefully they can carry their momentum into next week's race."

Sophomore Vicki Currie (Dumfries, Scotland) busted out of the gates early, but struggled down the stretch due to the 90-plus degree temperatures and finished right behind her teammates in fourth. The fourth female runner to cross the line was Bucs sophomore Christin Zink (Herndon, Va.).

"Vicki and Christin started out strong, but the heat affected them both during the last mile of their run," added Byrne. "Overall I am very pleased with how the team looked today."

Times were not available at the press table following the race.

The ETSU women's cross country team will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 14, when they compete at the University of Tennessee Invitational in Maryville.