Third place is becoming a common thing for the Panther alpine and nordic ski teams. Middlebury placed third for the fourth straight week, trailing Vermont and Dartmouth at the Big Green's carnival.
The women's alpine team had a big weekend with a first place finish in the GS and a second place finish in the slalom. The men were strong as well, winning the slalom, while placing fourth in the GS. In the women's GS race, first-year racer Megan Hughes (Killington, Vt.) won the even with a time of 2:09.04. Only .25 seconds behind her in second place was sophomore Lindsay Brush (Charlotte, Vt.), followed by senior Jessica Smith (Rockport, Maine) in sixth (2:09.79). Although she didn't score, rookie Kelly Brush (Charlotte, Vt.) turned in an impressive eighth place finish (2:10.91). Hughes paced the team in the slalom as well, with a fourth place finish in 1:42.23. Placing sixth was Smith (1:43.18), followed by first-year racer Krissy Poehling (LaCrosse, Wis.) in 14th place (1:45.53).
Senior John Rusten (Federal Way, Wash.) led the men in the GS race, placing sixth overall in 2:02.30. First-year racer Joseph Swensson (Niantic, Conn.) came in 11th in the race (2:03.02), while classmate Clayton Reed (Stowe, Vt.) came in 16th (2:03.49). Reed paced the team in the slalom, placing fifth with a time of 1:36.89. Just behind him was sophomore Andrew Everett (Andover, Mass.) in sixth (1:37.23), followed by Rusten in eighth (1:37.57).
Sophomore Evelyn Dong (Wayland, Mass.) led the women's nordic team in the 5K classical race with an 11th place finish in 20:26. Placing 18th was senior Tyne Pike-Sprenger (W. Junior Garrott Kuzzy (Minneapolis, Minn.) led the men with a ninth place (34:43) finish in the 10K classical race. Finishing 12th was sophomore Beau Baldock (Jackson, Wyo.) with a time of 35:16, followed by senior Bryce Roche (Bozeman, Mont.) in 21st (37:05).
In the 3x4 mixed relay, Middlebury's top team, comprised of Baldock, Kuzzy, Jorvig and Dong, placed fourth overall in 1:11.54. Finishing 13th with a time of 1:16.27 were sophomore Dan Skold (Worthington, Mass.), junior Jake Whitcomb (Worthington, Mass.), sophomore Erin Pittenger (McCall, Idaho) and junior Taylor Leach (Old Forge, N.Y.) .
