CHANNAHON, Ill. - The Augustana women's cross country team competed at the St. Francis Twilight Invite on Friday in their first race of the 2021 season, earning a fourth-place finish out of ten teams at Channahon Community Park.

Katie Johnston led the charge for the Vikings, grabbing a team-best time of 19:39.8 in the 5k race. Her mark was good for a top-20 finish. She was followed closely behind by teammate Anna Boardman, who crossed the finish line with a time of 19:50.2. Both players ran side-by-side through two miles and were able to get to the end just ten seconds apart. Irais Tenorio rounded out the three placements in the top 30 for the Vikings, coming in 27th with a final mark of 20:25.2. Emma Odle and Kara Lotz earned 34th and 35th place, respectively.

"It was wonderful to be running a cross country race with other teams and spectators after almost two years," acting head coach Colin Young said of the performance. "It was a great benchmark to see where we are at after a summer of training and a few weeks of preseason."

Young also noted that the team dynamics were the main highlight as each member supported one another and worked together with great energy. The team's main focus remains the CCIW and regional championships, which will take place in November.

"This race was a great rust-buster for us," he added. "It was a great experience for us to build and learn from."

For a complete viewing of the results from the 2021 St. Francis Twilight Invite, click HERE. The Vikings will be back in action on Saturday, September 18 when they head to Warrenville, Ill. for the Gil Dodds Invitational at St. James Park. The event is hosted by Wheaton College.