Pittis reaches goal at Big Sky Championships

Saturday, October 28

Ogden, Utah

Montana

Big Sky Conference Championship

Emily Pittis earned All-Big Sky Conference honors with her top-10 finish

10/28/2017 1:49:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

By: Montana Sports Information

Results

Montana junior Emily Pittis, competing with the top 10 on her mind, raced to a ninth-place finish for the Montana women's cross country team on Saturday morning at the Riverside Golf Course in Ogden, Utah.

She was the only top-20 finisher for either team, as the Griz women placed sixth, the men's team 10th for the second consecutive season.

Northern Arizona swept the team titles, with the NAU women edging out second-place Montana State and third-place Idaho.

The Lumberjack men, ranked No. 1 in the nation, defeated No. 12 Southern Utah, 24-36. Runners from those two programs claimed 11 of the top 12 individual spots. Weber State finished third.

Pittis covered the five-kilometer course in a time of 17:45 to become only the second top-10 finisher for the Grizzlies in the last seven years.

Paige Gilchrist, a Missoula Hellgate High graduate now racing for Northern Arizona, won the women's race in a time of 17:12. She was followed by Idaho State's Jenica Dodge (17:23) and teammate Mikayla Malaspina (17:32).

Pittis was in eighth place through three kilometers and dropped just one spot over the last two. "Emily was solid. She definitely had her best race of the season so far," said coach Vicky Pounds.

Junior Jessica Bailey was Montana's No. 2 runner, finishing 22nd in a time of 18:08. Seniors Reagan Colyer (18:16) and Maryn Lowry (18:17), who was in 11th place through three kilometers, placed 27th and 28th.

"Maryn went out to win it today. She ran a great race, but she struggled the last kilometer," said Pounds. "It was great to see Jess come through, and Reagan is always solid."

Montana finished fifth last year and was picked third in the preseason poll.

"It's a little disappointing because I feel like this team is better than the team we had last year, yet we're down a place. I still felt like everyone gave it all they had. It's just where we ended up this year," said Pounds.

Junior Jonathan Eastwood led the men's team, placing 30th, down six places from 24th last year. He covered the eight-kilometer course in a time of 25:39.

Tyler Day (23:21), Matthew Baxter (23:22) and Andy Trouard (23:58) made it a Northern Arizona sweep of the top three places.

Freshman Andrea Baratte crossed the line in 49th in a time of 26:16. No other Montana runners placed better than 60th.

"I feel like this is a better team than we had last year, but it's just such a tough conference," said Pounds. "When your first runner is 30th, it's tough to score well.

"But I do feel like we're headed in the right direction. We're just not quite there yet. We have to keep building."

Montana will wrap up its season on Friday, Nov. 10, at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Logan, Utah.

Women's team results
1. Northern Arizona (51)
2. Montana State (83)
3. Idaho (95)
4. Southern Utah (100)
5. Weber State (131)
6. Montana (133)
7. Idaho State (142)
8. Eastern Washington (218)
9. Northern Colorado (264)
10. Sacramento State (265)
11. Portland State (290)
12. North Dakota (295)

Montana's individual finishers
9. Emily Pittis (17:45)
22. Jessica Bailey (18:08)
27. Reagan Colyer (18:16)
28. Maryn Lowry (18:17)
49. Samantha Engebretsen (18:49)
50. Madeline Hamilton (18:52)
83. Maeve Holman (20:54)

Men's team results
1. Northern Arizona (24)
2. Southern Utah (36)
3. Weber State (82)
4. Idaho (123)
5. Montana State (145)
6. Idaho State (159)
7. Northern Colorado (238)
8. Sacramento State (239)
9. Eastern Washington (251)
10. Montana (252)
11. Portland State (298)
12. North Dakota (315)

Montana's individual finishers
30. Jonathan Eastwood (25:39)
49. Andrea Baratte (26:16)
60. Paden Alexander (26:46)
64. Kyle Peterson (26:52)
65. Dillon May (26:52)
75. Micah Drew (27:17)
88. Kyle Kredo (29:04)