As far as season-opening reviews go, this was a good one.

“Our top three women look fantastic,” said The Master’s University cross country coach Zach Schroeder.

Senior Mikala Fairchild and freshmen Arianna Ghiorso and Morgan Gregory each finished in the top 35 among non-NCAA Division 1 runners on Saturday at the Mark Covert Invitational hosted by Cal State Fullerton.

Fairchild was first of the group, finishing in 18 minutes, 58.3 seconds to come in 15th place. She’s the top returner from a team that won the first conference title in program history a year ago. If the Mustangs are going to repeat as Golden State Athletic Conference champions, Ghiorso and Gregory will have big roles to play.

Ghiorso finished in 19:25.8 Saturday, good for 19th place. Gregory was 33rd (20:17.2).

Schroeder said this course often produces slow times, making the performances by the freshmen all the more impressive.

“The goal today was not to produce a fast mark,” he said, “but to see how many competitors we could pass the final mile of the race. Our girls executed the plan perfectly, with all five finishing in a higher position than where they were with 1 mile to go.”

Autumn Nootbaar finished 73rd, and Kayla Gray came in 76th.

Master’s finished sixth as a team and will return to action on Sept. 15 at the UC Riverside Invitational.