LODI, Calif. - The LMU women's cross country team competed in the West Coast Conference Cross Country Championships at Micke Grove Golf Links in Lodi, Calif. on Saturday. 

 

The Lions finished ninth in the race with junior Hayden Washington being the first Lion across the finish line in 37th. Washington was the top finisher in every race she competed in with the Lions in the 2024 season. She finished a hair behind her 6K personal best recorded earlier this season at the Bronco Invitational. 

 

Tessa Kline followed Washington with a 53rd place finish and a time of 22:24.8. Similar to Washington, she recorded a personal best at the Bronco Invitational but finished just behind that time in Lodi. The sophomore cemented herself as the team's number two runner this season and will look to build on a strong finish in the NCAA West Regionals coming up next week. 

 

Rylee Guinn finished third for the Lions with a time of 22:56.1. Guinn finished with her second-best time of the 2024 season after the much friendlier Bronco Invitational. Guinn will also look to build on her late season success by bringing momentum into the Regional in Washington.  

 

Freshman Ava Boyd was the fourth finisher for the Lions and posted a time of 23:24.7. Boyd's personal best came at the WCC Preview held earlier in the season as Micke Grove Golf Links and she finished just behind that time on Saturday. Boyd showed some serious resolve throughout the race, picking up three spots from the first checkpoint, and then three more over the final lap. 

 

Ruby Tiburcio was the Lions' fifth finisher and finished in 23:59.1. Tiburcio played an important role in the Lions overtaking Pepperdine over the last lap of the race. She finished right behind the Waves' Jessica Guardino and three spots in front of the Waves' Riley Burgess. She made up three spots in the final two laps to minimize the Lions' finish comparable to the Waves.  

 

The Lions trailed Pepperdine by ten points after the first lap, six after the second and manufactured an 11-point swing over the final lap to secure the victory with a five-point cushion.  

 

The Lions are scheduled for one more meet in Colfax, Wash. at the Colfax Golf Club on Friday, Nov. 15.