Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Races at Smith Invitational
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Elms College sophomore men's runner Jesse Zina (Ludlow, Mass.) clocked a time of 20:12.14 in the men's 5-kilometer race and freshman Rachel Lehouillier (Belchertown, Mass.) sprinted to a time of 24:20.57 in the women's 5-kilometer race in Saturday afternoon's Smith College cross country invitational in Northampton, Mass.
The women's team placed 14th out of 16 teams while the men's team did not register a team score.
On the men's side, the US Coast Guard Academy earned 33 points to capture first place honors while Springfield College (43) and New England College finished in second and third place respectively.
Makopa Rugabirwa was the top individual finisher with a time of 16:29.90 for New England College.
For the women, Wellesley College secured first place with 29 total points, while Coast Guard (34) and Salve Regina University (109) notched second and third place honors.
Beth Gollin of Coast Guard was the top performer in the women's race registering a time of 19:43.94.
Blazers' senior Benjamin Kronlund (Longmeadow, Mass.) was the second Elms finisher with a time of 23:48.79, followed by freshman Jessie Murray (Springfield, Mass.) (24:15.30) and senior Michael Desmond (28:09.02).
On the women's side, Lehouillier was Elms' top finisher in a field of eight Blazers' runners. She finished ahead of freshman Meghan Sullivan (28:52.79), senior Jennifer Cicero (Chicopee, Mass.) (29:40.91), sophomore Gabrielle Calvanese (Agawam, Mass.) (30:17.50), sophomore Kerry Ashe (Springfield, Mass.) (30:20.86), freshman Emily Taylor (Ludlow, Mass.) (30:22.11), sophomore Sarah Jane Dyer (Hinsdale, Mass.) (34:59.86) and freshman Madison Boehm (Sutton, Mass.) (38:18.48).
Both teams return to action on Friday, September 16 at the Daniel Webster College Eagle Invitational at 4:00 p.m. in Nashua, N.H.
