Freshman Jana Peterson set a course record as the Iowa State women’s cross country team continued their domination of the early season competition by crushing Northern Iowa, 39-20, in a dual meet at Cedar Falls on Friday night.

Head Coach Dick Lee said his squad improved from a week ago, when the women took first-place honors at the six-team Illinois State Invitational.

“I am really pleased with our effort at UNI,” Lee said. “I think everyone on the team ran really well.”

Superfrosh Peterson broke the UNI course record with a time of 17:35.

“It was not something I expected this early in my career,” Peterson said.

UNI’s Emily Montgomery led for almost the entire first half of the meet. That was when Peterson decided to make her move.

“Stacey [Armstrong], Amber [Grady] and I packed up really well,” Peterson said. ” We let Montgomery lead most of the meet. With about a half-mile to go I decided to put some distance between her and I.”

Peterson said she was a lot more confident going into this meet after last week’s meet, her first as a collegiate athlete.

“For the first meet I was really nervous; I didn’t know how well I would do,” she said. “For this meet, I came in with a strategy.”

In addition to Peterson, the Cyclones had some good individual efforts from some other runners. Stacey Armstrong, Amber Grady and Emily Martini finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Armstrong credited team chemistry for the win.

“Everyone on the squad has come together,” she said. “I have not seen this much team spirit since I have been here.”

The women are looking forward to this week’s invitational at the University of Minnesota, which will feature some of the top cross country teams in the nation.

“It’s a tough meet, but I think our first two victories will give us confidence going into the Minnesota Invitational,” Armstrong said.