ST. PAUL, Minn. — Led by a sixth-place finish from senior Katelyn Smith, the Northern Michigan University women’s cross country team finished seventh at the Roy Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota on Saturday morning.

The big field included 32 teams and 375 runners as Smith ran the six-kilometer course in 22 minutes, 55.1 seconds. She was about a minute and a half behind winner Ida Narbuvoll of the University of Mary, who clocked 21:24.5, but only about 23 seconds behind runner-up Claire Boersma of Augustana, South Dakota, who finished in 22:28.2.

NMU freshman Madison Malon also cracked the top 15, finishing 13th in 23:04.8, while senior teammate Hanna Torvi was 44th in 23:54.5, freshman Paige Saiz 72nd in 24:22.9 and freshman Meghan Langworthy 75th in 24:24.4.

Northern’s sixth and seventh finishers were junior Ellise Longley, 81st in 24:31.4, and senior Paige Du Bois, 88th in 24:40.0.

NMU totaled 210 points as Augustana won with 36 and Mary was runner-up with 89. Michigan Tech came in fifth with 162, led by senior Emily Byrd, who was 16th in 23:07.5.

Nine other runners also ran the race for the Wildcats — sophomore Anna Kelley was 107th in 24:42.5, sophomore Katrina Salmen was 113th, freshman Kimberly Carviou 120th, freshman Caroline Vegeberg 131st, freshman Emily Sterling 146th, freshman Morgan Lyon 159th, sophomore Aubrey Friedrich 211th, sophomore Chrysanthe Patselas 230th and redshirt freshman Katie Cleven 239th.

Northern is off until the Conference Crossover meet on Oct. 12 in Romeoville, Illinois, that will be hosted by Lewis.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.