Natalie Muntz and Lily White, from Warren’s Goat Fort Thundering Herd team traveled to Madison Heights, Michigan, this Saturday to compete at a USA Climbing event at the Planet Rock climbing gym.

The format for this event limited the climbers to 16 minutes on four boulders. With only four minutes per boulder, the pressure was high, and it wasn’t enough to be a good climber. It was critical for athletes to be able to manage their energy, attempts and time. This was similar to the format of the regional championships which take place later this season, so the experience was good.

The girls got off to a rocky start, and were not able to manage a top on either of the first two climbs. However, they came back, and earned tops on the last two boulders and fought their way into the top 10: Natalie capturing ninth and Lily finishing fifth.

The Thundering Herd has one more USA Climbing qualifying event on Dec. 7 in Mishawaka, Indiana, which will determine the final ranking and who will earn a spot at the regional championships in January.