McCALL, Idaho – Racing without its top skier, the Plymouth State University women’s ski team placed 12th among 19 teams in the slalom Friday at the US Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association’s National Championships at Brundage Mountain.
The Panthers, who were 10th in the giant slalom on Wednesday, finished 11th overall in the women’s combined alpine standings. Defending champion Sierra Nevada College won both the slalom and the GS to capture the team title, while three of PSU’s conference rivals, Colby-Sawyer College, Brown University and Boston College, finished 2-3-4 in the combined.
Freshman Kara Marvelli (Franconia, N.H.) was PSU’s top finisher in Friday’s slalom, placing 39th among the 97 competitors. She was also the top Panther racer in the GS with a 19th place. The other two PSU racers who counted in the slalom team scoring were freshman Meghann McKenney (Hubbardstown, Mass.), who placed 52nd, and junior Kelsey Real (Lanesboro, Mass.), who finished 54th.
The other two members of the Plymouth State contingent fell. Sophomore Amelia Hough (Gloucester, Mass.) recovered from a second-run fall but finished 78th, and junior Chantelle Heroux (Cooperstown, N.Y.) did not finish after a second-run tumble.
The Panthers were competing without their top skier, freshman Melissa Caflisch (Clymer, N.Y.), who was injured in a training run on Tuesday.
The PSU women qualified for the USCSA National Championships with a fourth place at last month’s Eastern Regional Championships.
The championships conclude on Saturday with the men’s slalom.
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Overcast. Light Rain. Temperature: 46; Wind: W at 7; Conditions as of Sat May 25 at 07:00 AM EDT