Never mind all the traffic, the pollution, the congestion and its citizens' less-than-stellar reputation-the way the women's cross country team has run in New York this season, it is loving the Big Apple.
After finishing first in the season-opening Fordham Invitational in New York, the Blue Devils returned to the same course Friday and took fourth place in a much stronger field of 12 at the ECAC meet in Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y.
ACC rival Virginia captured the invitational's title with 63 points, ahead of Cornell (70), Princeton (105) and Duke (114).
Duke's Megan Sullivan completed the course in 18:01.80, 33 seconds better than the time she ran on the same course two months earlier. The sophomore's finish marks the fourth time this season in four meets that Sullivan has led the Blue Devils across the finish line.
"[The weather] was cooler, but she's just in better shape," women's head coach Jan Samuelson-Ogilvie said. "That's what we hope most of our women will do-start the season and make the progress so that when it comes November and championship season, they will be in their best shape.
"I know Megan has eyes on going to Nationals. We hope she can do that. She's made such tremendous progress."
For comparison purposes, Sullivan finished ninth in 18:24 in the same race last year. In a span of a year, she has shaved more than 20 seconds off her time.
Freshmen Ellie Culp (11th, 18:14.10) and Maddy Woodmansee (27th, 18:51.30) were the second and third Duke runners to come across the finish line, respectively. The pair was also the fastest two freshmen in the race.
Indeed, Duke fielded the youngest team at the meet with five freshmen and two sophomores.
"With our youth, you're going to have somebody that doesn't have a great day," Samuelson-Ogilvie said. "As we get more experience, I think we're going to have less of that. It bodes well for our future."
Sullivan earned her second-straight All-East distinction with her performance, while Culp made All-East for the first time.
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