Lions’ Hall sparkles

COSTA MESA.-- Point Loma Nazarene defeated defending champion

Vanguard University for the women’s team title at the VU Invitational

Cross Country Meet at Fairview Park Saturday with a 29-51 edge.

Point Loma’s Jessica Howard won the individual title in the

women’s race with a time of 19:03, just 18 seconds slower the meet

record set by Concordia University’s Tricia Mattson in 1999.

Vanguard’s Sarah Hall was right behind her in second place with a

time of 19:05. Hall improved her time by over a minute over her

finish a year ago. Fresno’s Jen Toler, the VU Invitational Champion

in 2000, took third (19:10) and VU’s Jenny Thune came in fourth with

another respectable time of 19:17. PLNU’s Joy Dahlberg rounded out

the top five (19:33) and three more Crusaders packed the top 10 to

earn the team title.