Saturday’s home meet was a striding success for Iowa State’s men and women’s cross country teams.

The Cyclone men’s team won the ISU Memorial Classic, beating intrastate rival UNI by three points. The women’s team placed third overall, behind only Minnesota and Kansas State.

ISU’s Saul Lempirikany picked up his first meet victory as a Cyclone.

No one threatened Lempirikany for the title as he sprinted down the spectator-lined homestretch to become the meet champion with a time of 25:26.

Cyclones Kevin Farrow and Samuel Magu finished third and ninth overall.

Farrow, who has been injured on and off throughout the early season, was glad to finish the home competition after dropping out of last weekend’s race because of calf injuries.

He said he was worried going into the race but felt confident while warming up.

Confident indeed, Farrow ran in the front pack with Lempirikany and David Lichoro.

He poured it on with Lempirikany in the last half-mile and finished third, clocking in at 25:38.

Lichoro, who won the team’s home season opener in mid-September, was running with his teammates until the fourth mile, when knee pain forced him out.

After the race, Lichoro remained positive and said the decision to pull out of the race was a good one because he did not want to hurt himself before the Big 12 meet.

“I felt my leg was tight. I have to save up for the important races,” he said. “This is my career and I have to take care of myself and my body.”

Men’s coach Kevin Bourke said he was pleased with the team’s overall performance and said Lempirikany, Farrow and Lichoro did a “good job of pushing the pace.”

He said he was especially happy with Lempirikany and Farrow’s strong finish.

He said to run out front the entire face is one of the most difficult ways to go about winning, but Lempirikany was successful nonetheless.

Bourke said it is encouraging that the team won the meet despite the loss of one of the team’s top runners. He said it really shows that All-Americans Simeon Wright, Matt Williams and Tait Steines, the fourth, fifth and sixth runners, are coming along.

The women, also missing their top runner from the September home competition, Emily Martini, took third out of thirteen teams.

Cyclone Amber Garrett led the team and placed sixth overall after running the hilly course in 18:40. Laurie Meythaler, Erin Bresnan and Stacey Armstrong finished second, third and fourth for the Cyclone team and crossed the finish line within six seconds of one another.

“It was the best team race of the year,” women’s coach Dick Lee said. “Week by week, we keep getting better.”

He said the race was a personal best for many of the runners, including Garrett and Armstrong.

Armstrong, like men’s runner Farrow, has struggled in the early season. Lee described Armstrong’s race as her best in the last two seasons of cross country.

Armstrong also had good things to say about her personal performance and about the team as a whole.

“I felt a lot better,” she said. “I really needed today for a confidence booster.”

Armstrong said everyone ran well as a team and pushed the others to persevere and move up. She also attributed some of her success to the meet’s atmosphere.

She said the many fans lining the course created a “brilliant atmosphere to run in.”

Armstrong said she did not remember a race with as many encouraging fans and added that the cheering really gave her the push to finish out strong.

Both teams continue to focus on the Big 12 Conference meet and the district and national competitions.

Farrow, though pleased with his Saturday success, said he wouldn’t label the race his team’s best.

While smiling and thinking of upcoming races, he said, “It’s best to save the best for last.”

The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference meet Nov. 1 in Oklahoma.