Young Cobbers Add 1-2 Punch At MSUM Twilight

MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/11/15)—Concordia added a 1-2 punch at the top of their lineup and had a successful team meet at the MSU Moorhead Twilight Meet.

Kaya Baker stepped back on the course after taking the opening meet off and led the Cobbers to a third-place finish. Concordia was behind a pair of very good NCAA Division II schools in Minn.-Duluth and MSU Moorhead and outdistanced several other quality regional opponents.

Baker's return to competition gives the Cobbers two runners at the top of the team who are capable of earning All-Conference honors. Baker crossed the line at the 4k course in a time of 14:56.0 which was good for 12th place. She was just seconds ahead of senior Melissa Uhrich who was the top runner for CC in the opening meet of the season. Uhrich finished in 15th place at the MSUM Twilight Meet with a mark of 15:04.3.

The freshman duo of Brianna Gruenberg and Sarah Kuball gave Concordia four runners in the top 30 of the meet. Gruenberg was 21st in a time of 15:33.6 while Kuball was close behind, cross the line at 15:51.4 which was good for 28th place.

The biggest surprise of the night came from senior Ingrid Floersheim who missed all of last season because she was taking a semester to study abroad. Floersheim has returned to the team and is posting the best times of her career so far in the young campaign. She was just outside the top 30 of the 83-athlete meet. Floersheim was the team's No.6 runner after posting a time of 15:55.2 and placing 31st.

QUOTABLE: "The conditions were ideal….weather, lack of wind, cool fresh air, competition, invigorating night atmosphere!   So the times were fast for all the teams….it's exciting to race fast!" – Cobber head coach Marv Roeske on running at night. 

"We are young and that's exciting because they work hard and show no fear.  I'm excited for the rest of the season." - Roeske on the outlook for the rest of 2015

WHAT'S NEXT: The Cobbers have a two week training period as they prepare to compete at the Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota on Saturday, Sept. 26.