UA’s White blows past rest of SEC

Catherine White has enjoyed a breakout cross country season, winning two events and finishing as Arkansas’ top runner at every meet, but that didn’t stop her from glancing back at her competitors as she made her way toward the finish line Monday at the SEC Cross Country Championship.

“I was pretty petrified going down the homestretch,” White said with a smile.

There were two reasons for White’s anxiety: All-Americans Hollie Knight of Auburn and Sarah Bowman of Tennessee.

Neither was able to challenge White in the end, however, as she cruised to a personal-best time of 20: 07. 26 over the 6, 000-meter course in Starkville, Miss. That was nearly 11 seconds faster than Knight and a full 20 seconds ahead of Bowman.

ADVERTISEMENT

“She made her move and made it demonstrably,” Coach Lance Harter said, “and the race was over.”

Harter said he anticipated Knight and Bowman would attempt to set a torrid pace, as they did, but White closed the gap on the race’s second loop, near what Harter jokingly referred to as “the highest point of altitude in Starkville.”

Harter said he knew then a victory was within White’s grasp. White didn’t feel as comfortable until a little later in the race.

“Probably with about 1 K to go I knew I had it in me and could take it,” she said. “And then with about 800 [meters ] to go, I made my decisive move.

“ I would say in the summer I would’ve never told you that I had any intention of really winning it, but the season started coming together nicely and I knew coming into the race there was a chance.”

Arkansas also won the SEC women’s team cross country championship Monday, though Harter joked that even league title No. 13 was bound to get overshadowed in such a football-crazy conference. “Lo and behold, Phil Fulmer decides to resign and steal our thunder,” Harter said in reference to the Tennessee football coach. “We’re backpage news.” MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Valiant effort The Arkansas men’s cross country team failed to win the SEC championship for the first time since joining the league, but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort, Coach Chris Bucknam said. “They attacked the race and went for the win,” Bucknam said of the Hogs. “It was a long shot and we all knew that, but that’s why you run the race.... We gave it our best shot.” Arkansas ran third behind Alabama and Auburn despite having eight runners finish ahead of Auburn’s fifth runner. The Tigers placed three runners among the top four. “It’s about star power,” Bucknam said, “and they had it and we didn’t.” SWIMMING & DIVING

Split-seconds Arkansas’ 22 nd-ranked swimming and diving team edged LSU last week, scoring a gutsy victory over a team that narrowly finished ahead of the Razorbacks at last season’s SEC meet. “It was meaningful because LSU’s ahead of us and that’s a team we want to beat this year at the SEC Championships,” Coach Jeff Poppell said. “It was meaningful because we’ve only beat them twice in the last 15 meetings, but the fact that we were short-handed and everybody else stepped up, that was truly just an amazing feeling.” Arkansas learned it would be without sophomore Ashley Largo and senior Elizabeth Engs because of unspecified medical reasons just 15 minutes before the LSU meet. While Engs could compete at North Texas on Saturday, Largo is expected to miss the remainder of the fall season. Along with North Texas, Arkansas will compete against No. 14 SMU, Colorado State and New Mexico State on Saturday.

VOLLEYBALL Lawrence lethal Senior Christina Lawrence became the 13 th Arkansas volleyball player to record 1, 000 career kills in a loss at No. 11 Florida on Sunday.

Lawrence, who ranks among the SEC’s top 10 in kills and hitting percentage, reached the milestone despite the fact she has battled an array of injuries throughout her time at Arkansas. Lawrence also has been a model of efficiency, as her career hitting percentage (. 274 ) is lower than just three players ranked higher than her on Arkansas’ all-time kills list.

“She’s definitely earned it the hard way,” Coach Robert Pulliza said. “She’s been banged up throughout her career, but nothing has slowed her down. “ Not only does she get kills, but she hits for high percentages. You usually see one or the other... but she can do both.”

TENNIS ITA has UA flavor Arkansas will be represented by five tennis players at the ITA National Indoor Championships, which begin today. Aurelija Miseviciute is the top-seeded player in women’s singles, while Anouk Tigu and Nanar Airapetian will compete in the doubles draw. Blake Strode and Matt Hogan will compete in men’s singles play. On tap SPORT COMMENT Cross country White wows them Golf Men finishing fall season Swimming Climbing ladder Tennis Five at ITA event Volleyball At home this weekend