NCAA: Dartmouth rallies to win Eastern title

Despite skiing to an opening day lead, Middlebury College was unable to secure a win Saturday on its home courses.  
    Spurred on by three racers in the top five in the women’s classic race, Dartmouth overtook Middlebury to win with 928 points. Middlebury finished second with 906 points, and  Vermont took third with 868 points.
Despite skiing to an opening day lead, Middlebury College was unable to secure a win Saturday on its home courses in the Eastern Championships meet.  
    Spurred on by three racers in the top five in the women’s classic race, Dartmouth overtook Middlebury to win with 928 points. Middlebury finished second with 906 points, and  Vermont took third with 868 points.
    Middlebury’s Andew Wagner put on a show for the hometown crowd at the Middlebury Snowbowl on Saturday, winning the men’s giant slalom event.  Topping Vermont’s Greg Hardy and Bogner points leader Charles Christianson of Williams, Wagner helped his team earn the team victory as well.  Middlebury scored 126 points, beating out Vermont (115 points), and Williams College (114 points).
    On the women’s side, Vermont’s Jilyne McDonald took the victory Saturday, thanks to the fastest first run of the day. McDonald topped New Hampshire’s Veronique Archambault-Leger, and Bogner points leader Courtney Hammond of Dartmouth.  
    In team scoring, Vermont took the giant slalom victory Saturday with 122 points.  Dartmouth took second with 118 points, and Middlebury finished third with 117 points.
    Nordic racers at Middlebury’s Rikert Touring Center were treated to large crowds Saturday for the distance classical events.  
    Dartmouth dominated the women’s mass start, led by Susan Dunklee who took the victory. Teammates Elsa Sargent and Hannah Dreissigacker finished second and fourth, respectively. Vermont’s Jennie Bender finished third.  
Dartmouth took the victory in women’s team scoring Saturday, earning 131 points.  Middlebury took second thanks to ninth-, 12-, and 14-place finishes, earning 105 points.  Williams finished close behind in third with 104 points.
    Vermont’s Juergen Uhl remained undefeated in classic races this season, thanks to another victory Saturday. Uhl topped Bates’ Sylvan Ellefson and Dartmouth’s Nils Koons, who finished second and third, respectively.  
Dartmouth earned the men’s team victory Saturday, earning 124 points.   Bates finished an impressive second with 119 points, and Colby finished third with 117 points.  
    The Eastern Championships concluded eastern collegiate racing for the season. Qualifiers for the eastern NCAA Skiing Championships, hosted by Montana State University, will travel to Bozeman, Mont., March 5-8.
    Information about NCAA Championships, as well as complete results and team standings can be found at https://www.eisaskiing.org .