QUEENSBURY, NY -- The Alfred University women's alpine skiing team opened its season at West Mountain over the weekend, with seventh place runs in both slalom and giant slalom.

"It was a weekend of unknowns with new athletes who I hadn't seen race yet and returning athletes who had improved so we were going through the weekend one step at a time," Head Coach Bob Cilino '13 said. "It was a weekend to show resilience and determination and the first race and we have many more."

In her first collegiate races, Valérie Borg du Prie (Brussels, Belgium/European School Ixelles) was superb in the giant slalom with a team-leading combined time of 2:32.45. In Sunday's slalom, she led the timing sheets for AU in her first run with a 1:02.87.

Zoe Rainville (Saranac, NY/Saranac) took home the top time of the weekend in the slalom. Her combined timed of 2:12.18 led the way for AU. Gail Miller (Dayton, OH/Stivers School for the Arts) wrapped up a 2:41.42 in the same event, while clocking in at 3:16.80 in GS. Sophia Lazarenko (Buffalo, NY/Park School of Buffalo) came in with a time of 3:26.20 in Saturday's giant slalom.

The Saxons will hit the slopes again next weekend with another slalom test on Saturday at Labrador Mountain, while competing at Greek Peak on Sunday in the giant slalom event.