Battling heavy winds and rain, the Valparaiso women's cross country team finished in fifth place at the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday afternoon.

Ohio State was the race winner with 83 points, while the Crusaders tallied 150 points.

Elizabeth Whiting (Parma, Mich./Western H.S.) and Rachel Nelson (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit H.S.) led the Crusaders finishing tenth and eleventh overall. Whiting crossed the finish line in 18:52, while Nelson was just six seconds behind. Rachel Stoehr (Antigo, Wis./Antigo H.S.) also turned in a top-25 finish, placing 23rd with a time of 19:11. Amy Mikel (Lemont, Ill./Fenwick H.S.) was the fourth Crusader to finish, doing so in a time of 19:37 to place 47th. Jobeth Schmiesing (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West H.S.) rounded out the Valpo scorers with her 59th place finish in a time of 19:50.

The Crusaders that did not compete in the Notre Dame Invitational will run at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Saturday.