BLOOMINGTON – Thanks to a strong performance at the Great Lakes Regional Tournament and some at-large points accumulated throughout the season, the Michigan women's cross country team will advance to the NCAA Championships.

This weekend's regional meet provided the ultimate spectator sport. Family, friends and fans raced up hills and through fields of waist-high grass to follow the stampede of runners as they took on the 6,000-meter course.

The Wolverines came in third place (104 points) at the meet, and were just two points shy of automatically qualifying for Nationals. Notre Dame and Ohio State took first and second place, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Kaitlyn Peale led the Wolverines with a second-place finish overall (20:51), which means she will automatically advance as an individual to Nationals.

The race began with a lot of pushing for a good position, but Notre Dame runner Lindsey Ferguson forged a large lead early on. Peale kept her initial pace and stayed close behind in the chase pack.

“I could tell (Ferguson) was fading the last 2K or so, and (Michigan coach Mike McGuire) kept telling me that I could catch her,” Peale said. “So, I just kept on my pace and stayed with Emily MacLeod from Michigan State. Once you catch someone at the end, it is a big mental boost. So I knew once I had that, I would finish strong.”

Peale made her move and finished strong, just nine seconds behind MacLeod. Although Peale had felt under the weather before running, she still felt good about her race.

“It was a battle,” McGuire said of the meet overall. “You could tell during the course of the race that it was just back and forth.”

Four freshmen also helped score points for the Wolverines. Rebecca Addison (13th) and Jillian Smith (21st) both placed among the top 25. Kaitlyn Patterson claimed 27th place, and Lindsey Hilton followed behind in 45th.

The NCAA Championships will be held Monday, Nov. 23, in Terre Haute, Ind.