Ê

On Sept. 28 in Bethlehem, Pa. the cross-country team finished in the top 12 out of 40 schools in the Women’s Gold 6k on Friday at the 39th annual Paul Short Run.

The women weren’t the only team that impressed: the men’s team finishing 11th out of 33 teams in the Brown 8k event.

Senior captain Kristen Weberg, who placed 46th overall with a time of 21:18, and first-year Alicia Clark, who was not far behind with a time of 21:25 and 55th overall led the Lady Catamounts. The women’s team finished with 383 points. 

“I’d like to acknowledge Dylan Souder for an outstanding performance and Alicia Clark for racing extremely well in her first really big collegiate meet,” head coach Matt Belfield said in an Athletic Communications press conference. “To be close to Stony Brook and UNH at full strength is encouraging as we move forward.”

On the men’s side Souder led the team with a time of 25:57, which was good enough for 25th overall; he was followed by senior Ethan McBrien who clocked in a time of 26:21 and was 46th overall.  

Rounding out the top were first-year Thomas O’Leary (26:37) juniors Aaron Szotka (26:45) and Fletcher Hazlehurst (27:16), who led the men’s team to a total of 335 points, just seven away from a top-10 finish.

The Catamounts have a quick turn-around, traveling to Westfield, Mass.  Oct. 7, to compete in the 2012 New England Cross Country Championships.

The women’s 5K is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m., while the men’s 8K begins at 2:15 p.m. at Stanley Park.