RIVERSIDE – The UCSB men placed second overall Saturday, September 12th, at the UC Riverside Invitational. With only seven seconds separating their 1-5 runners, the Gauchos put on a marvelous display of selfless racing tactics. The UCSB women followed suit, finishing their 1-5 runners within 19 seconds to place third overall in the team battle.
Men’s Recap
Anthony Ortolan led the way for the Gaucho men, placing 11th with an 8,000m time of 24:39.6. Ortolan, last year’s Big West runner-up, paved the way for the rest of the cavalry who were in close towe. Andrew Farkas finished hot on Ortolans heels, breaking tape in 24:40.2, placing 12th. Running in the No. 2 position for the first time in his career, Farkas delivered another key performance for the Gauchos.
George Baier ran in the No. 3 slot, crossing the line in 24:41.3. This was the highest team scoring position Baier has recorded in a Gaucho uniform. Baier recorded the 13th overall best time on the day.
Running No. 4 was Adam Avila. Always consistent presence for the Gauchos, Avila came through in 24:44.5, placing 16th.
George Degen rounded out the scoring five. In only his second meet as a Gaucho, Degen showed solid improvement from the Lagoon race and offered a glimpse of what he can add to the line-up. Degen broke the tape in 24:46.1, good for 20th overall.
Shyan Vaziri placed 23rd with a time of 24:49.4. Vaziri, running in his first competition of the season, ran a solid ice breaker and like Degen, showed glimpses of strong times to come.
Running No. 7 for the Gauchos was Jackson Bright. Placing 32nd, Bright crossed the line in 25:08.8.
23 teams contested the men’s competition.
MEN’S SCORES
| So. Utah | 44 |
| UCSB | 72 |
| Cal Poly Pomona | 100 |
| UCD* | 117 |
| LBST* | 153 |
| Central Ariz | 216 |
| Cal St. San Marcos | 238 |
| CMS | 248 |
| UCR* | 254 |
| Pomona-Pitzer | 304 |
| Cal Coast TC | 318 |
| APU | 319 |
| Colorado Mesa | 338 |
| Cal Baptist | 363 |
| CSUN* | 402 |
| Cal St. Monterey Bay | 422 |
| Concordia (Cal.) | 495 |
| Whittier | 497 |
| Riverside | 506 |
| Vanguard | 590 |
| Glendale CC | 639 |
| La Verne | 648 |
| Cal Lutheran | 654 |
Women’s Recap
Deploying similar race tactics as the men, the UCSB women stuck together in a tight pack for the majority of the race, scattering slightly during the finishing blitz.
For the second meet in a row Maxine Goyette has led the Gauchos in the No. 1 position. Goyette covered the 6,000m course in 21:38.8, placing 22nd overall.
Running side-by-side, Kelsey O’Connell ran No. 2 for the Gauchos for the first time in her career, placing 24th in 21:41.0.
No stranger to No. 3, Tori Tsolis filled the spot for the Gauchos for the second meet in a row. Tsolis crossed the line in 21:42.9, placing 26th.
In No. 4, Sarah Schreck crossed the line in 21:43.5. Schreck, a steady performer for the Gauchos, placed 27th overall.
Jenna Hinkle rounded out the scoring, crossing the line in 21:57.7 in the No. 5 spot for the Gauchos. Hinkle placed 29th overall and broke the tape nearly 19 seconds after Goyette, a good indicator of the groups ability to execute a race plan while working together.
A pair of freshman finished in the non-scoring spots for the Gauchos in Tori Yanco and Miranda Ross. Yanco placed 40th overall with a time of 22:16.4. Ross crossed the line in 49th, recording a time of 22:30.7.
15 women’s squads competed in the race.
WOMEN’S SCORES
| Arkansas | 27 |
| UCD* | 86 |
| UCSB | 128 |
| UCR* | 135 |
| San Diego State | 149 |
| So. Utah | 150 |
| APU | 198 |
| CMS | 199 |
| LBSU* | 255 |
| Cal St. Monterey Bay | 262 |
| CSUN* | 278 |
| Colorado Mesa | 296 |
| Southwestern | 311 |
| Riverside | 380 |
| Cal St. LA | 445 |
