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| 10/29/2009 12:59:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Amy Holcombe continues running well for Gordon College. As a sophomore, she heads into tomorrow’s TCCC championships as one of the top runners to beat. She’s done well for coach John Molvar who has put the captain’s ‘C’ with Holcombe this year for Gordon. Doug Etten photo. |
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Holcombe continues impressing in second season at Gordon College
Sophomore captain continues to set the pace for her squad
She might be only in her second season as a member of the Gordon College cross country team, but her results have easily spoken louder than her words for soft-spoken Lakeland graduate Amy Holcombe.
Holcombe recently led the Gordon women's cross country team to a solid win over Salem State along with conference rivals Endicott and New England College (NEC) on the Gordon campus course under what then was a warm 70-degree day.
Gordon scored just 22 points on the day compared with Endicott's 50, Salem State's 60 and NEC's 108.
Holcombe won the race in 20:20, which put her as the second fastest time in meet history.
Only last year's conference runner of the year, Hannah Matthews of Gordon, has run the course faster in the opening meet if the year.
The time and place for Holcombe and her team netted the sophomore The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Women's "Runner of the Week" award after posting a career-best finish and winning the Gordon Quad Meet with her 5K time of 20:20.
Since her opening race of the season, Holcombe's continued her stellar year as she placed well in her team's fourth place finish at the famed Pop Crowell Invite.
Wellesley College won with a score of 38 points, followed by Southern Maine with 65 points with Salve Regina edging Gordon for third with 151 points to 163 points.
Though they finished fourth overall, Holcombe and her teammates defeated eight-time defending conference champion, Roger Williams, in the process.
"We came into this meet with injuries to our key number five and six runners, but our women rallied to grab fourth so we are very happy with the outcome since we were expecting to finish lower," head coach John Molvar said. "Despite losing 10 out of our top 12 runners from last year, we now appear to be right in the thick of the fight for the conference title.
"This was our first real race of the season as we focused on building a solid endurance base while all our rivals were well into there competitive season so we didn't know where we stood although training has gone fairly well as we have some determined women on this team. We have only done one interval workout so I think we can improve significantly from here."
Gordon was led in the race by Holcombe who placed 20th in 20:12.
"Holcombe did not feel good [today], but gamely stayed in the race, otherwise we would have fallen to about eighth place," Molvar said. "Despite the atrocious conditions due to the rain and wind and not feeling well, she still ran faster than she did in this race last year. Her training indicates she can run much faster and will show that soon."
After winning their home Gordon Invite this past weekend where Holcombe (20:19) finished second overall, the team returns to action tomorrow at the conference championship at Western New England College.
Doug Etten can be reached via email at detten@lakelandtimes.com.
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