SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Behind a pair of freshmen posting career-best efforts, the University of North Georgia (UNG) women's cross country team turned in a solid performance Saturday morning at the Upstate XC Invitational, placing 14th overall in a field that featured 23 predominately Division I programs.
 
Ahna Hicks paced the Nighthawks for the third straight meet, crossing the line in 18:38.1 to place 30th overall among more than 100 collegiate competitors. Her time marked a new personal record and continued a strong rookie campaign for the Roswell native.
 
Close behind, Jordan Starling also recorded a career-best performance, finishing in 19:28.1 to take 78th overall. Maggie Welp and Tessie Braman followed in near-identical times at 19:34.3 and 19:34.9, respectively, both contributing crucial points toward UNG's team total.
 
Aubrey Dishman (20:00, 107^th) rounded out the top-five scorers for the Nighthawks.
 
Jacksonville State dominated the meet, taking the top three individual spots and the team title with 35 points, led by Viola Jepleting's winning time of 17:28.5. Charleston (63) and UNC Asheville (79) rounded out the top three teams.
 
The Nighthawks will return to action on Oct. 25 when they compete in the Peach Belt Conference Championship.