EDINBURG – For the first time in head-to-head competition, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley women's cross country team defeated the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 24-31 in the RGV Duals on Friday at Monte Cristo Golf Course and Country Club.
 
The team that finished with the lowest score won the competition as finishers gained points based on their finish. The men's team fell to the Islanders after they tallied 44 points to the Islanders 15 points.
 
With the women's victory, UTRGV now holds a 5-2 lead in the South Texas Showdown, Presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union. Each race was worth two points.
 
Freshman Krysta Martinez led the way for the women's squad as she finished in second place earning two points with a time of 11:42.96. Freshman Ana Bautista finished earned three points with a third place finish after crossing the finish line with a time of 11:51.91.
 
Freshman Bryana Rios came in fourth with a time of 12:02.16 while sophomore Thalia Polanco came in fifth with a time of 12:06.23.
 
"They did excellent," UTRGV head coach Xavier Richardson said. "We finished closed to Corpus last year as we lost to them by a little bit. This year we finished in front of them so we are off to a great start with the ladies. The freshmen were our one, two and three runners, so it was great to see those newcomers contribute immediately. ."
 
Junior Teresa Sova crossed the finish line with a time of 12:26.41 to finish in 10^th place with junior Roxanna Vidaurri finished in 11^th place with a time of 12:40.06. Junior Jennifer Zapata finished in 13^th with a time of 12:56 while freshman Alexandria Canchola finished in 16^th with a time of 14:29.25 and sophomore Michelle Flores finished in 18^th with a time of 14:48.93.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Cynthia Quiroga finished the 3,200-meter run in first place with a time of 11:29.29.
 
On the men's side, sophomore Alberto Herrera led the way with a sixth place finish after finishing the 5,000-meter run with a tie of 15:53.64. Freshman Rolando Ramon posted an eighth place finish with a time of 16:30.33 while sophomore Mathew Peynado finished right behind him in ninth with a time of 16:37.61.
 
Freshman Ricardo Mendoza rounded out the top-10 after finishing with a time of 16:40.58. Junior Rick Montero finished in 11^th place after finishing with a time of 16:42.16 while junior Leo Dominguez finished in 12^th with a time of 16:47.01.
 
"The men were running tough," Richardson said. "They were led by the underclassmen. There is still a lot of work to do but that is what we are here for. We will get them running and get them training and we will see how the season plays out."
 
Sophomore Brian Yanez finished in 13^th place after finishing with a time of 16:55.11 as sophomore Isaac Arevalo finished in 17^th with a time of 18:04.12 while sophomore Mark Trejo finished in 19^th with a time of 18:26.46 and freshman Jayven Cordova finished in 21^st with a time of 20:25.41.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Fabian Lutz finished in first place after crossing the finish line with a time of 15:32.62.
 
UTRGV cross country will be back in action on September 16 when they head to Corpus Christi to compete in the Islanders Splash.
 
The next event in the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, is a volleyball match in Corpus Christi on September 6, which is worth three points.
 
Complete Results
Women's - 3,200 Meters
1. Cynthia Quiroga, TAMUCC – 11:29.29
2. Krysta Martinez, UTRGV – 11:42.96
3. Ana Bautista, UTRGV – 11:51.91
4. Bryana Rios, UTRGV – 12:02.16
5. Thalia Polano, UTRGV – 12:06.23
6. Morgan McCutchen, TAMUCC – 12:12.77
7. Carissa Pinon, TAMUCC – 12:15.55
8. Liz Romo, TAMUCC – 12:17.39
9. Rebecca Hardee , TAMUCC – 12:20.90
10. Teresa Sova, UTRGV – 12:26.41
11. Roxanna Vidaurri, UTRGV – 12:40.06
12. Naila Flores, TAMUCC – 12:42.80
13. Jennifer Zapata, UTRGV – 12:56.00
14. Linda Garcia, TAMUCC – 13:16.28
15. Unattached – 13:22.93
16. Alexandria Canchola, UTRGV – 14:29.25
17. Unattached – 14:32.30
18. Michelle Flores, UTRGV – 14:48.93
19. Brandie Garcia , TAMUCC – 14:55.30
 
Men's - 5,000 Meters
1. Fabian Lutz, TAMUCC – 15:32.62
2. Marek Spriesterbach, TAMUCC – 15:41.36
3. Cesar Gonzalez, TAMUCC – 15:42.29
4. Vinnie Van Puvelde , TAMUCC – 15:43.83
5. Steven Galli, TAMUCC – 15:47.50
6. Alberto Herrera, UTRGV – 15:53.64
7. Jordan Wright , TAMUCC – 15:59.12
8. Rolando Ramon, UTRGV – 16:30.33
9. Mathew Peynado, UTRGV – 16:37.61
10. Ricardo Mendoza, UTRGV – 16:40.50
11. Rick Montero, UTRGV – 16:42.16
12. Leo Dominguez, UTRGV – 16:47.01
13. Brian Yanez, UTRGV – 16:55.11
14. Unattached – 17:34.84
15. Unattached – 17:48.12
16. Jan Anstett, TAMUCC – 17:52.44
17. Isaac Arevalo, UTRGV – 18:04.12
18. Carlos Roguera, Unattached – 18:11.02
19. Mark Trejo, UTRGV – 18:26.46
20. Xavier Arellano, TAMUCC – 19:24.62
21. Jayven Cordova, UTRGV – 20:25.41

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