Junior cross country runner Jimmy Wiggins finished 12th place in the Auburn Invitational Friday, a race which featured 259 competitors.
Wiggins’ finish in the 8K race paced the Tigers to a 12th place finish overall. Wiggins finished the race with a time of 25:30.
“Jimmy Wiggins ran a very good race,” said coach Mark Elliot.
But the next Tiger did not cross the line until more than two minutes and 50 places after Wiggins. Andrew Huston (26:41.52) finally crossed for the Tigers in 62nd place, followed closely by Jarret Roche (26:44.90) in 66th.
“I think as a team we could have run better today,” Elliot said. “In a meet of this size, you have to get outside and not get caught behind the pack. We weren’t able to do that, and it contributed to the fact that we didn’t perform as well as I was hoping we would.”
The women’s team finished in 16th place, led by junior Katie Denton. Denton finished the 5K race in 44th place with a time of 19:20.94.
Only one other women’s runner finished in the top-100. Michelle Hymel crossed the line in 58th place with a time of 19:33.88.
Tennis
After defeating the No. 16 doubles team in the nation, the seventh-ranked duo of Jason Hazley and Bryan Fisher suffered a letdown Friday at the Icy Hot/Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s All-American Tournament held in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The duo lost in the second round to No. 20 Ludovic Walter and Jason Zimmerman, 8-3, of Duke. The loss came a day after the Tigers destroyed No. 16 Michael Calkins and Connor Murnigham of Illinois, 8-1.
“We didn’t close out some games where we had the opportunites,” said assistant coach Mark Booras. “We just didn’t play consistently enough today.”
The women’s duo of Rocio Fantilli and Lauren Seaman, ranked No. 38 in the nation, suffered two quick defeats at the Riviera/ITA All-American Tournament in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Fantilli and Seaman lost to Kelly Schmandt and Aleke Tsoubanos of Vanderbilt, 8-1, Thursday. In the consolation bracket Friday, the Lady Tigers again faltered, this time to No. 8 Chloe Carlotti and Lucia Tallo of Fresno State, 8-3.
“It was their first national tournament,” said coach Tony Minnis. “They were a little nervous. When you get to the main draw . . . anyone you play is going to be really tough, and anytime you get a win it’s big.”