Anika Thompson, Mia Barnett go 1-2 for Ducks, Leading Team Win 21-34 Over Beavers 

Story and Photos by Keenan Gray of DyeStat

EUGENE, Ore. - The No. 4-ranked Oregon women began their cross country season with a win over in-state rival Oregon State at the Pre's Trail Run on Friday from Alton Baker Park, with Anika Thompson and Mia Barnett leading the way for the Ducks.

Thompson, who earned All-West region honors last fall in cross country, covered the 5-kilometer course around the iconic Eugene trail, named after the late Steve Prefontaine, in 16 minutes, 53.9 seconds to come away with her first win as a collegiate cross country runner and guided the Ducks to a 21-34 win over the Beavers.

"I'm really happy," Thompson said. "Of course, when the team wins, too, that's also awesome. Just a great way to open up the season and we hope to keep the momentum going."

Barnett, running in an Oregon cross country uniform for the first time since transferring from UCLA, followed Thompson in second place in 16:59.1. 

"This was my first (cross country) race back in a year and it felt really good," Barnett said. "I feel like I'm in really good shape and I feel like our team has been stacking some good weeks. We just came back from a really good trip in Park City, Utah two days ago, so to come back out here and race with the girls, it's been fun."

All-Americans Klaudia Kazimierska, coming off running the No. 3 all-dates performance in the women's 1,500 at the Silesia Diamond League, Maddy Elmore and Silan Ayyildiz were not in the line-up for the Ducks, but Ella Nelson, Samantha McDonnell and Harper McClain filled in to round out the top five scoring.

Nelson, an All-American last indoor season in the distance medley relay, ran 17:30.8 to finish eighth overall, McDonnell ran 17:37.7 for ninth overall and McClain ran 17:39.3 to round out the top 10.

Oregon State's Kate Laurent led the Beavers with a third-place finish, running 17:04.1, and Sage Brooks finished right behind in fourth, running 17:19.4.

Oregon freshmen Ali Ince, Charlotte Sinke, Samantha Humphries and Landen Leblond, all running attached, made their collegiate debuts, with Ince, from Normal IL, finishing fifth in 17:21.9 as the top freshman.

Sinke, from Calgary, Alberta, ran a second behind Ince in 17:22.4 for sixth, Humphries, from Flower Mound TX, finished seventh in 17:25.4 and Leblond, from Millennium AZ, earned 11th in 17:39.3.