LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – Saints junior #Megan Holmes# (Jr.-Gilbert, Minn./Mesabi East) led the Saints women's ski team efforts today in the women's 5km classic at the Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) Championships today at Camp Ripley near Little Falls, Minn.

Finishing in a time of 17:33, Holmes took the 29th spot, just six seconds ahead of sophomore teammate, #Julia Curry# (So.-Woodbury, Minn.), who finished 30th after taking a wrong turn right before the finish, thwarting her efforts at her first top 20 finish of the season with a full collegiate field. Northern Michigan's Marie Helen Soderman won in a time of 15:15, edging Alaska Fairbank's Theresia Schnurr by 13 seconds. Carolyn Freeman of UW Green Bay finished 3rd another 10 seconds back of Schnurr. Freshman #Katherine Mueller# (Fr.-Brainerd, Minn.) finished in 41st to round out the Saints scoring and a seventh place team finish.

Curry had the best race of the season going, running squarely in the top 20 with 500 meters to go, but turned onto the lap track that the men used earlier in the day, costing her roughly a minute. “Julia raced just awesome today, but made a very inexperienced mistake by not know exactly where to finish,” said Saints Head Coach Chad Salmela. “I think she will move on quickly from this, but it's a great lesson for the future. Regardless of the result, the performance up to the mistake should give her great confidence moving forward.”

The Saints women continue competition tomorrow with a 15km mass start freestyle at Camp Ripley.

RESULTS
1 1 33 179 Marie Helen Soderman NMU 15:15 3:03
2 1 32 172 Theresia Schnurr UAF 15:28 3:06
3 1 31 166 Carolyn Freeman UWGB 15:38 3:08
4 2 30 161 Laura Dewitt NMU 15:38 3:08
5 1 29 163 Elizabeth Quinley MTU 15:44 3:09
6 3 28 170 Christina Gillis NMU 15:47 3:10
7 1 167 Caitlin Compton Open 15:55 3:11
8 2 27 165 Julia Pierson UAF 15:59 3:12
9 4 181 Anna Bergland NMU 16:02 3:13
10 2 26 168 Jenna Klein MTU 16:04 3:13
29 1 15 154 Megan Holmes (Gilbert, Minn./Mesabi East HS) CSS 17:33 3:31
30 2 14 153 Julia Curry (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS) CSS 17:39 3:32
41 3 10 207 Katherine Mueller (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd HS) CSS 18:35 3:43
46 4 200 Caroline Lund (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) CSS 19:17 3:52
49 5 205 Amelia Donars (Ely, Minn./Ely Memorial HS) CSS 19:47 3:58

TEAM SCORES
1 NMU 33 30 28 91
2 UAF 32 27 22 81
3 MTU 29 26 24 79
4 UWGB 31 19 16 66
5 GAC 25 23 18 66
6 CSB 21 20 13 54
7 CSS 15 14 10 39
8 SCSU 12 11 9 32
9 STO 17 8 6 31
10 NOR 7 5 12