CHICAGO, ILL. -- Junior Casey McDermott (Newton, Iowa) finished sixth to key the Drake women's cross country team to a ninth-place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational Saturday.

McDermott was timed in 18 minutes 7 seconds on the 5,000-meter course that attracted 378 runners. Drake scored 228 points in the 34-team meet.

Drake junior Katie Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was 36th in a personal best of 18:59, while senior Courtney Heinz (St. Paul, Minn.) placed 56th in 19:21. Sophomore Kirsten Lake (Parker, Colo.) ran a personal best of 19:27 placing 64th.

"This was our first and only 5,000 meter race that we will run this season," said Drake head coach Dan Hostager. "I thought our team performed much better than last week (Roy Griak Invitational)."

Drake will take a week off before resuming action at the Bradley Classic, Oct. 16th, in Peoria, Ill.


WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
LOYOLA LAKEFRONT INVITATIONAL
At Chicago, Ill.
Team Scoring
1. Wichita State 67
2. Missouri State 103
3. McMaster 110
4. Western Ontario 170
5. Northwestern 175
6. Windsor (Ontario) 179
7. Western Michigan 199
8. Loyola-Chicago 205
9. Drake 228
10.  Toledo 293
11. Aquinas 322
12. Saginaw Valley 329
13. Iowa Central CC 363
14. Wisconsin-Milwaukee 387
15. Indianapolis 414
16. St. Xavier 416
17. Augustana (Ill.) 456
18. Carroll 464
19. Missouri S&T 550
20. Dick Pond Saucony Racing 610
21. St. Ambrose 731
22. Iowa Western CC 734
23. Xavier (Ohio) 736
24. St. Francis (Ill.) 741
25. Dana 748
26. Trinity Christian 759
27. Pasco-Hernando CC 789
28. Marian (Ind.) 821
29. Concordia (Ill.) 888
30. Cardinal Stritch 975
31. Mott CC  989
32. North Park 994
33. DuPage 1030
34. Joliet CC 1071

Individual Winner
(5,000 Meters) -- 1.Terry Phillips, Missouri State 17:40

Drake Results - 6. Casey McDermott, 18:07; 36 Katie Coomer, 18:59; 56. Courtney Heinz, 19:21; 64. Kirsten Lake, 19:27; 76. Meredith Bell, 19:32; 99. Tara Scieszinski, 19:49; 149. Cammy Dole, 20:29.