October 7, 2006 - 14th of 17 at Penn State National Invite
October 7, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Cross Country
Rider 14th at Penn State National Invite
STATE COLLEGE, PA—The Rider men and women both placed 14th at the 17-team Penn State National Cross Country Meet Saturday, a meet that included Syracuse, Oklahoma, Guelph, Cornell and West Virginia. “If we run consistently with this kind of effort we’re going to be rewarded when we get to the conference meet,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer.
For the Rider men, junior John Smith (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan) placed 48th of 116 in the team scoring, and 61st of 209 overall, covering the 5.2 mile course in 27:19. Smith has now finished first among Bronc harriers in all 15 meets he has run in his Rider career.
“Our men had a down week last week and this week we came with a tremendous effort and really went out there and ran the kind of race we are capable of running,” said Hamer. “We’re still building and growing, but we’re going in the right direction.
For the Rider women, sophomore Andrea Campbell (Somers Point/Mainland Regional) placed 40th of 107 runners in the team scoring, covering the 6,000m course in 23:13. “Kelly is closing the gap on Andrea, which we need to do for us to have success when we get to the championship meets.”
Sophomore Kelly Wojciehowski (Fair Haven/Rumson Fair Haven) placed 59th in 23:52, which was 79th of 172 overall, marking the second straight week she has broken the 24:00 mark. “Kelly ran a really nice race,” said Hamer. “She’s been running well for us but today she really stepped up. She moved nicely and was very competitive throughout the whole race. It gets pretty tough from two miles to three and a half miles and she really ran that part tough. She was finally rewarded for all the hard work and effort she has been putting in this season.”
“This was probably my best race this season,” said Wojciehowski. “My goal this year was to break 24:00, and I was able to do that last week. Today I was two seconds slower but this was a much harder course. Last year I was injured a little and didn’t get to run much, but this year I’m healthy and the whole team is better this year. Last week was the first time I broke 24, and now that I’ve done it two weeks in a row I plan on staying there.”
Also for the Rider men, sophomore Matt Dahl (West Keansburg/Raritan) placed 67th in 27:55, marking the first time he has ever finished second among the Broncs. “Matt ran a great race today,” said Hamer. “I’ve been waiting for him to step up and run what he is capable of running and today he really ran that kind of race.”
Junior Jeff Stead (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) placed 68th also in 27:55. “I beat him (Stead) by a couple of steps, I used my long legs,” said the 6’1” Dahl. “We run as a group in our workouts, and I’m always with Stead. This is the first time I’ve beat him in a meet. I was really pleased with my race today. The last two meets were no where near what I would have liked, so it was really good to go out there and have the two of us run together and really put out a good effort. It was something to be happy about today.”
Freshman Bob McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, PA/LaSalle) , freshman Phil Capaldi (Woxsall, PA/Souderton) was 96th in 29:00, and junior Ryan Donohue (Freehold) was 98th in 29:09.
Freshman Kelsey Kohler (Southampton, PA/St. Basil’s) placed 74th in 24:24,
freshman Lauren Lester (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) placed 85th in 24:45, and sophomore Megan Crowe (Philadelphia, PA/St. Hubert’s) was 91st in 24:51.
Rider competes at Lafayette October 14.
Men’s team standings: Syracuse, Cornell, Penn State, Cortland St., Guelph, Oklahoma, Drake, Allegheny, Lock Haven, Clarion, Indiana (PA), Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock, Rider, St. Vincent, USMMA, Mansfield
Women’s team standings: Syracuse, Penn State, Guelph, West Virginia, Indiana (PA), St. Francis (PA), Drake, Allegheny, Slippery Rock, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Cortland St., Mansfield, Clarion, Rider, USMMA.
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