MINNEAPOLIS - Marie Borner (Sr., Cottage Grove, Minn.) set a new course record, and nine Royals finished in the top 10 as Bethel defeated Augsburg 15-49 at Riverside Park in the women's cross country opener today.

Borner's time of 17:59 betters her own record of 18:13 set last season against Augsburg. Borner is a two-time NCAA All-American, two-time conference champion, and is the defending NCAA champion in women's cross country. All of Bethel's All-MIAC runners finished in the top five once again. Alex Potter (Jr., Windom, Minn.) took second place with a time of 18:48. NCAA Track and Field All-American Heather Jelen (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) took third with a time of 19:08, while Kristin Mork (Jr., Cambridge, Minn.) and Kayla Jelen (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) rounded out the top five at 19:32 and 20:00, respectively.

The Royals will now set their sights on the Les Duke Invitational, scheduled to take place next weekend at the Oakland Acres Golf Course in Grinnell, Iowa, beginning at 10 a.m.

Women (5,000 meters): Bethel 15, Augsburg 49
1. Marie Borner (BU) 17:59 *
2. Alex Potter ((BU) 18:48
3. Heather Jelen (BU) 19:08
4. Kristin Mork (BU) 19:32
5. Kayla Jelen (BU) 20:00
6. Janelle Crary (BU) 20:01
7. Jennifer Lovering (AUG) 20:06
8. Michelle Benson (BU) 21:28
9. Carissa Bodette (BU) 21:36
10. Katie Borner (BU) 21:47
11. Kristen Tengwall (BU) 21:33
12. Jennifer Pulscher (AUG) 22:39
13. Kacie Bahr (AUG) 23:05
14. Laura Zwilling (BU) 23:16
15. Jenna Diercks (BU) 23:24
16. Leah Neumann (BU) 23:38
17. Katelyn Bostrom (BU) 24:51
18. Stacia Francis (AUG) 25:42
19. Erika Coe (AUG) 28:33