GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Ashley Russo helped the Siena Heights women's cross country team to an eighth place finish of 21 teams at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge Cross Country Invitational, on Saturday.

As a team, the top-five team time for SHU was 1:38:07.35 for an average time of 19:37.47 per runner and a total of 242 points. Winning-team Taylor finished with an average time of 18:35.97 and a total of 52 points.

Russo crossed the finish line in 18:35.91 to take 11th place on the five kilometer course as the first SHU finisher. The individual winner was Melissa Winchester from Aquinas, finishing in 18:11.26.

In 38th was Andrea Crowe in 19:22.36. The final three Saints' scoring runners finished within five seconds of each other, starting with Megan Rosales in 20:00.83 to take 62nd place. She was followed by Patricia Santos-Buitrago and Eva Chmielewski who finished 62nd and 63rd, respectively.

SHU will race on Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championship set in Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, Mich.