HOUGHTON, Mich. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's ski team opened the Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) Distance Championships with a third place finish on Saturday in the 5km classic race at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center.
 
The Action
The Saints would be without top skier Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash./Liberty Bell HS) as she was out with an illness. In her absence, a trio of Saints finished 13-15 overall. Allison Ternes (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) led the way with a career-best 13^th place finish, posting a time of 19:00. Seven seconds back was Ellie Evans (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) in 14^th. Greta Jenkins (Palmer, Alaska/Colony HS) was the final CSS skier to score in 15^th with a time of 19:23.
 
Nicole Gilman (Manitowish Waters, Wis./Lakeland Union HS) was the only other Saints skier competing and she placed 18^th overall in a time of 19:37.
 
Northern Michigan University swept the top seven spots with a pair of Michigan Tech skiers and a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay skier to round out the top 10.
 
Team Point Totals
1. Northern Michigan-69, 2. Michigan Tech-59, 3. St. Scholastica-48, 4. UW-Green Bay-42, 5. St. Olaf-32, 6. St. Cloud State-29
Race Winner – Kristen Bourne (NMU) – 17:03
 
Up Next
The CCSA Championships continue tomorrow with the 15km freestyle event. Action is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (ET).