MARQUETTE, Mich. ---The Northern Michigan Nordic Ski team came away with a victory on Sunday at the Husky Challenge on the campus of Michigan Technological University. NMU won the men’s event with 29 points, while the women edged out tournament host MTU with 28 points.

Chris Bowler won the men’s 10K classic with a time of 0:32:25.3. Kevin Cutts finished in third place (0:32:53.2) and Erik Soderman finished in 10^thplace with a time of 0:33:30.0.

The women’s team had four skiers place in the top 10 in the 5K Classic race. Marie Helen Soderman won the event with a time of 0:19:06 while Christina Turman finished in fourth (0:15:53.1), Monica Markvardsen (0:19:37.9) was sixth and Libby Ellis (0:16:13.1) finished in seventh.

Other teams that competed were the College of Saint Scholastica and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Coach Sten Fjeldheim was very pleased with his team’s performance over the weekend, but says it’s a long road ahead for the squad.

“We are pleasedwith the results, but we also know there is a tough schedule ahead,” said Fjeldheim.  “We still have some technique work and on snow work to do before we are firing on all cylinders.”

Next up for the ‘Cats is the USSA Season Opener (Dec. 11-12.) in Ironwood, Mich.