ATHENS, Ohio - - Despite a fourth-place showing from junior Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.), the Ball State women's cross country team placed 11th of 12 teams at the 2009 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championships Saturday afternoon in Athens, Ohio.

   On the 6K course at the Ohio University Golf Course, Bishel posted a time of 22:33.0 to finish 14.8 seconds behind Toledo's Ari Fisher who won the event with a 22:18.8 clocking. Fisher's time was also 12 seconds faster the second-place finisher Alexandra Lizarribar (22:30.8) from Kent State.

   As a team, the Cardinals turned in an average time of 24.25, with its top five runners finishing with a combined 269 points to place 11th overall. Miami collected 44 points with an average team time of 22:50.5 to win the event for the second straight season.

   Senior Sarah Kehe (Westville, Ind./Chesterton H.S.), Bishel's high school teammate, was Ball State's second-best runner turning in a time of 24:20.3 to place 53rd among scored athletes.

    Junior Christine Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central H.S.) scored in 60th place with her 24:31.3 effort, while senior Lisa Arrowsmith (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson H.S.) and freshman Allison Blanck (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central H.S.) rounded out BSU's scored runners with times of 25:16.9 (74th) and 25:23.4 (78th), respectively.

    Also running for the Cardinals were freshmen Emilee Zets (Berlin Center, Ohio/West Branch H.S.) with a time of 26:33.6 (81st), Andrea Korzan (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn H.S.) with a clocking of 26:37.6 (82nd) and MaryKate Mellen (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City H.S.) who ran a time of 26:47.8 (DNP).

   The Ball State women's cross country team continues the season Nov. 14 when it travels to Bloomington, Ind., for the 2009 NCAA Great Lakes Regional hosted by Indiana. The 6K women's meet is set to begin at 1:15 p.m. at the Indiana University Championship Cross Country Course.

COMPLETE TEAM RESULTS
1.  Miami 44
2.  Toledo 63
3.  Akron 104
4.  Central Michigan 116
5.  Kent State 143
6.  Eastern Michigan 157
7.  Bowling Green 212
8.  Northern Illinois 218
     Ohio 218
10. Western Michigan 250
11. Ball State 269
12. Buffalo 317

BALL STATE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
4th - Ali Bishel - 22:33.0
53rd - Sarah Kehe - 24:20.3
60th - Christine Talhelm - 24:31.3
74th - Lisa Arrowsmith - 25:16.9
78th - Allison Blanck - 25:23.4
81st - Emilee Zets - 26:33.6
82nd - Andrea Korzan - 26:37.6
- -  MaryKate Mellen - 26:47.8