The Cyclone cross country teams returned from Minneapolis and the Roy Griak Invitational a little disappointed with their overall performances. However, individual performances gave promise for the seasons of the two nationally-ranked teams as they prepare for the Big 12 and NCAA meets later this fall.

The men, who are ranked 14th nationally, took fourth in their first scored meet of the season.

Saul Lempirikany led the Cyclone men’s team Saturday after placing second overall in the 8,000-meter competition with a time of 24:27. Amber Garrett was the top ISU runner, clocking in at 18:16.7 to finishing 41st in the 5,000-meter race.

Lempirikany’s performance was an improvement over his time in the ISU invite two weeks ago, where he finished second for the Cyclones. Five other Cyclone men lowered their times at the Saturday competition.

Men’s Coach Kevin Bourke said, “I was ecstatic with Saul’s performance.”

Bourke said that Saul was among the leaders throughout the competition, and at one point, he and teammate David Lichoro, who won the ISU Invite, took the lead together. Bourke said Saul was the front man until the last 100 meters, when Providence runner Ben Noad passed him and won by four seconds.

Bourke said he was pleased with Lempirikany’s finish despite his unfortunate final 100 meters.

Arriving at the finish line 50 seconds behind Lempirikany, Cyclone Kevin Farrow registered a 14th-place showing. Lichoro, chased by ISU’s Samuel Magu, ran third for the Cyclones and claimed 22nd overall at 25:15.8. Magu finished two places and four seconds behind Lichoro.

Lichoro, who injured his ankle, said some people ran well. He said that the meet was ” a good improvement” for the team.

Wisconsin, ranked 8th in the nation, won the invitational, scoring 68 points. The Cyclones tallied 121 points, which earned them fourth in the competition.

Bourke said he was a little disappointed with the team’s fourth-place finish because he thought the team had a chance to take first.

“We know that we’re a much better team than we showed this weekend,” he said.

However, Bourke said that the team has pin-pointed the areas they need to work on for the NCAA Pre-meet. He said that the pre-meet “will be extremely tougher than this last week” and they are looking forward to competing in the meet scheduled for Oct. 11.

The 25th-ranked Iowa State women striders finished 13th in the team competition with 336 points. Each runner lowered her time from the season opener two weeks ago.

After Garrett, Cyclones Laurie Meythaler and Erin Bresnan took 69th and 72nd places. Meythaler clocked in at 18:48.7 and Bresnan at 18:52.6.

Like Bourke, women’s coach Dick Lee said he was a little let down by the team’s overall placing, but was happy to witness Bresnan running what he labeled “the best race of her career.”

He said that Bresnan’s finish is something both she and the team can build on.

Emily Martini, who led the team at the home opener, did not race Saturday because of a strained quadricep muscle that began acting up late last week.

It was not decided until Saturday morning that Martini would not be running. Lee said that losing their front-runner the morning of the race took a little bit of the competitive edge off for the team.

Meythaler also said the team suffered a little from Martini’s absence, but she pointed out that they are looking more toward the conference meet later in the season.

On the up and up, Meythaler said, “For the most part, everyone’s running stronger. Everyone between four and seven are all really close.”

She said it was good to run against some nationally-ranked teams.

The Cyclone teams race again at the NCAA Pre-meet, which will be held in Greenville, S.C. The pre-meet course is the site where the NCAA Cross Country Championships will be held in late November. The following week, the Cyclone teams stay home to host the ISU Open Oct. 17.