WOMEN: Kappa Kappa Gamma weathers talented field to win Team Pursuit, spring series championship

The dreary weather wasn't perfect, but the scene was perfectly set for a battle between two cycling titans -- Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Alpha Theta.\nThe gun fired to start the final race, and Theta kept it close for almost the entire first half. But despite qualifying in second place, Kappa eventually pulled away, cruising easily to a Team Pursuit win and a spring series championship.\n"I think we were just not on our full game (for the first run,)" said Kappa junior Jess Sapp. "We talked and rotated who was going to be pulling together."\nKappa won the race in 8 minutes, 8.12 seconds, and Theta followed in 8:11.56, taking second place in both the race and the series.\n"It shows that we worked really hard as a team," said Theta senior Liz Milne, "We came out and did the best we could -- we took the series seriously."\nWith a time of 8:21.68, Teter took third with only three riders. The team was without senior Mia Dragan, who was out because if of an illness.\n"I think they did wonderful, considering there was only three people. I know a lot of times teams drop their fourth rider, but they at least have them for a while into the race," said Dragan, who finished fifth in Saturday's Miss-N-Out. "I think it says a lot about our team (that they finished a half-second behind Theta)."\nAlpha Phi followed Teter with a time of 8:27.28.\nBella Veloce rounded out the top five in 8:33.58. The team also rode only three riders -- Miss-N-Out winner junior Abby Cooper, senior Katy Ligler and sophomore Mia Williams. Junior Nicole Williamson was absent due to a collarbone injury and is questionable for race day.\nLast year, it was the same top three but only in different order. Teter led the pack, with Kappa and Theta in second and third, respectively.\nTeam Pursuit is the final event in the spring series, which dresses the winner in a white jersey on race day. The event rides the top-4 riders of each team in a 12-lap race, advancing the top-two teams to the finals.\nStrategy is just as important as skill, as cyclists have to take turns pulling -- a strategy where the team rides in a line, with each rider alternating taking turns leading the pack.\n"I think (Team Pursuit) is the best judge of team depth," said Rob Rhamy, IU Student Foundation assistant director. "I think the overall series point is an indicator of who is the one to beat."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Andy Romey at aromey@indiana.edu.