Cross Country 9/28/2019 11:36:00 AM Matthew Schaefer, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Kleshchukova Collects Third Consecutive Victory as Privateers Compete at Cowboy Stampede

LAKE CHARLES, La. - New Orleans junior Arina Kleshchukova made it a perfect three-for-three to open the year as she won the individual women's title at the Lake Charles Cowboy Stampede at the Enos Derbonne Sports Complex on Saturday morning.

As a unit the Privateers finished fourth on the men's side while the women's group took sixth overall.

Kleschukova, a Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan native, hit the tape at 17:34.6 for the 5K course. With the win, she became the first female Privateer to claim victories in three straight races since 2002 (when Pavlina Vondrakova went on to win four of her five starts that season). It was also a new personal best by 36 seconds.

"I thought the race went very well," Kleschukova said following her performance. "The main goal was to keep it smooth and then go that last mile and I felt really good. I thought we did a great job as a team. We're just trusting the process and we're ready for our next task."

The Privateer women got the day of events started as the group posted 178 points for a sixth-place finish.

The scoring attack was rounded out by Brianna Lucas (44th/20:25.6), Anna Martin (46th/20:36.4), Michelle Folk (56th/21:20.5) and Jantrell Drakes (58th/21:27.8).

Allie Louis also competed and took 63rd overall (21:58.6).

"We went in there with the plan of our next three girls, who have been working out well together and then our next two to stay together as tight as possible and see who is feeling better on the day and that's excalty what we did," distance coach Brock Moreaux said. "That group of three were probaly within 15 seconds of each other and Jantrell ended up having the better day to complete our top-five. It was a good group run and team score and we're defiently looking forward to the next one."

The men followed with the four-mile competition which the Privateers fared strong in once again as they have all season, this time with 117 points for a fourth-place finish.

The race got off to a bumpy beginning with a very congested start. It went on to be a battle from there as the lead pack took the pace out hard and turned it into a very competitive race.

Kolyn Saltzman was the first Privateer to cross the line in seventh overall (20.18.8).

Following him as scored athletes were Kristian Oatman in 17th (20:50.7), David Hidalgo in 23rd (21:02.4), Cade Litolff in 35th (21:24.9) and Jesus Gutierrez in 44th (21:47.4).

Also competing for New Orleans was Nicholas Phillips (45th/21:48.0), Lucas Marcello (47th/21:57.0), Chandler Sullivan (52nd/22:19.7) and Julian Silva (22:39.8).

"That's one of the things that I love about Kolyn," Moreaux said when asked about the toughness his athlete showed out there today. "He's very good at racing within himself. He knows exactly what he needs to do in order to run his own race and that's what he did. He kind of held back a bit, maybe in the top-20 range through the first mile and then he started picking people off throughout to end up seventh."

"That was kind of the goal for the rest of the guys too," Moreaux added. It got pretty hot for their race so we tried to hold them back at the start for a bit so they could pick off some people towards the end and they did a good job."

"We got a little bit of touching up to do but it was definitely another step forward in what we are trying to accomplish this year," Moreaux concluded.

The Privateers will be off from competetion for a week but will return to the course with the running of the Florida State Invitational on Friday, Oct. 11. The men will start the day with a 8K at 7:40 AM EST which will be followed by the women's 5K at 8:20 AM EST.

NEW ORLEANS MEN'S RESULTS
7. Kolyn Saltzman - 20:18.8
17. Kristian Oatman - 20:50.7
23. David Hidalgo - 21:02.4
35. Cade Litolff - 21:24.9
44. Jesus Gutierrez - 21:47.4
45. Nicholas Phillips - 21:48.0
47. Lucas Marcello - 21:57.0
52. Chandler Sullivan - 22:19.7
62. Julian Silva - 22:39.8

NEW ORLEANS WOMEN'S RESULTS
1. Arina Kleshchukova - 17:34.6
44. Brianna Lucas - 20:25.6
46. Anna Martin - 20:36.4
56. Michelle Folk - 21:20.5
58. Jantrell Drakes - 21:27.8
63. Allie Louis - 21:58.6

TOP-FIVE MEN'S SCORES
1. Houston - 46 Points
2. McNeese - 50
3. A&M-Corpus Christi - 72
4. New Orleans - 117
5. Texas Southern - 143

TOP-SIX WOMEN'S SCORES
1. Houston - 44 Points
2. Rice - 55
3. McNeese - 68
4. A&M-Corpus Christi - 81
5. Houston Baptist - 162
6. New Orleans - 178

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