BELOIT, Wis. – The Mount Mary Cross Country team battled more than just a challenging course Saturday at the Wisconsin Private College Championship in Beloit—with a few runners out to illness and/or injury, head coach Eugene Miranda was anticipating only a handful of competitors.

"Our five runners truly displayed what team spirit is about," Miranda said. "Last week I was elated when we had all nine of our runners present at the Wisconsin Lutheran College meet where everyone put out a great effort to raise the standing of our team."

Yet with just five making the trip town Interstate 43, all five needed to participate for Mount Mary to qualify for an official team score.

"About an hour before the start of the race, both Laura (Bavlnka) and Lauren (Van Krey) announced they would run," Miranda said. "Knowing the condition that they were both in, I felt that their decision was based on not letting the team down. The two of them are to be commended for their gallant effort."

"To compound our problems, the incessant rain, the wet and puddle-filled course and slippery conditions did not make things any easier.

Saturday's miserable weather didn't make the course any easier for the runners as incessant rain made the wet course quite slick. Yet the Blue Angel harriers persevered and finished in 12th place out of 14 total teams.

Mount Mary was paced by junior Vanessa Schellinger (West Bend, Wis.) whose time of 26:46.23 came in 60th place overall. Bavlnka crossed the line less than two minutes later, cracking the top 100.

Team leader and junior Emily Barker (Oconomowoc, Wis.), who has been battling shin splint-like injuries for much of the season, did not race on Saturday.

The Blue Angels will have nearly a month to prepare for its post season race, the NCAA DIII Regional competition in Winneconne, Wis. on Nov. 11. The meet, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, will feature several of the area's top teams vying for two spots in the NCAA Championship race.