Women's Cross Country Takes 11th at NJIT XC Challenge

Race Results

NEWARK, N.J.—Five Gryphons broke their previous collegiate 5K personal bests as Sarah Lawrence College women's cross country placed 11th in a field of 20 teams at the 2016 New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlander XC Challenge at Branch Brook Park on Saturday.

IN SHORT
Sarah Lawrence finish: 11th place - 278 points
Race distance: 5,000 meters
Total teams: 20
Total runners: 160
Winning team: Monroe Community College - 110 points

TOP GRYPHONS
Sophomore Molly Walsh (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) set a 5K personal best with her run of 21:09. She crossed the line as the top Gryphon for the third time this season, earning a 42nd-place finish. Classmate Rosa Mykyta-Chomsky (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends School) nearly missed a spot among the top 50 runners, placing 51st in 21:21. Junior Tiffany Meier (Goleta, Calif./Olive Grove Charter) posted a season-best time of 21:58 to capture 65th place overall. Senior Allyson Panton (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) made strides with a career-best effort, crossing the line in 22:12 for 69th place. The Gryphons' scoring runners were rounded out by Isabel Edmonds (Appleton, Wisc./Appleton North), who placed 98th in a time of 23:35.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Running on Edmonds' heels, sophomore Katherine Labadie (New Orleans, La./Benjamin Franklin) set a new personal best on the 5K course. She finished within half a second of her teammate, clocking in at 23:35 for 99th place. Rookie Mei Takehana (Tokyo, Japan/Perkiomen School) just missed a spot in the top 100, placing 103rd with a mark of 23:42 in her first collegiate 5K. Senior Melissa Molina (Union, N.J./Roselle Catholic) joined the Gryphons who set personal bests, reaching the finish in 26:32 for 137th place. Rookie Zhe Wu (Guangzhou, China/Nansha College Prep. Acad.) also set a personal collegiate best at the distance, earning 150th with a performance of 28:36.

UP NEXT
Sarah Lawrence competes in its final regular-season race at the St. Joseph's Invitational on Saturday, October 15. The Gryphons then gear up for the Skyline Championships on October 30.