SALEM, Ore.  – The University of Hawai'i cross country team came away from Saturday's 43rd annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational with a 14th-place finish among a huge racing field for the 5k at Bush's Pasture Park.
 
Junior Danielle Girard bounced back to lead the Rainbow Wahine, slicing 56 seconds off her personal best in the 5k, running 18:49.6 to finish 41st. Next for Hawai'i was sophomore Lisa Tashiro with a career-best 19:40.2 for 83rd, ahead of junior Giovanna Casazza (90th) at a personal-best 19:48.7, rookie Sienna Santiago's (93rd) season-best 19:50.3 and sophomore Piper McDonald (96th) at 19:56.7. Four of the five UH scorers reached new career-best times.
 
Also competing for UH in Salem, sophomore junior Kai Hoshijo was 120th at 20:48.0.
 
"A nice race by Danielle in her cross country best, and overall an improved team race," head coach Tim Boyce said. "However, we still know there's much more possible in the weeks ahead and everyone has been working hard."
 
The Rainbow Wahine were 14th overall with a  score of 370, averaging a season-best 19:38 as a team.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return to O'ahu for their first on-island meet in over a month, heading back to a familiar course on the north shore for the Hawai'i Pacific Invitational next Saturday morning.