Sacred Heart
Bryant University Cross Country Invitational
Pioneers Follow Season-Opening Win with Second Place Finish at Nassaney Invitational
9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Sacred Heart women's cross country team followed its first ever season season-opening win with a second place finish at the Nassaney Invitational on Saturday. The only team ahead of the Pioneers was eighth ranked Providence, who is also the top ranked team in the Northeast Region.
SHU finished with 75 points and was 17 points ahead of the 14th ranked team in the Northeast Region, and third place finisher, Boston University. More importantly, the two-time defending Northeast Conference Champions were the highest placing of the seven NEC teams in the event, which was held at the course that will serve host to the Northeast Conference Championships later this fall. The next closest team was Bryant, who accumulated 140 points to finish fifth.
Amongst the NEC competitors in the race, Sacred Heart athletes placed 2nd-7th, as well as 10th, 11th and 14th, meaning SHU's top nine runners all placed in the top 14. In total, the Pioneers had six women under 19 minutes, as well as 12 under 20 minutes.
"I was pleased with the efforts of our women in this race, said Head Coach Christian Morrison. "Our spread from 1 to 5 was only 29 seconds, with our 6th and 7th runners close behind. All of their hard work and dedication leading into the season, and even over the course of several years, is quite evident on a day like this. It's early, of course, but I feel good about our chances to have a successful season."
Those top five runners, Shannon Hickey, Jennifer Hahne, Tara Connelly, Alexandra Kaeslin, and Molly Barker, all placed in the top 19.
For the second consecutive weekend, it was the senior caption Hickey who was the first Pioneer to cross. She placed 11th after completing the course in 18:11. Finishing four seconds later and just two spots behind her was Hahne. Connelly crossed the line 15th in 18:29, while Kaeslin (17th place) and Barker both ran personal bests of 18:29 and 18:40, respectively.
Emma Cary was the sixth Pioneer to finish, and more impressively, the highest placing NEC freshman at the event with a time of 18:57. Behind her and in 23rd Kelly Quinn, who ran the course in 19:04.
The Pioneers will stay in town for their next meet, as they lookto continue their impressive start to the season in two weekends at the 38th Annual Fairfield University Victor F. Leeber Cross Country Invitational on September 26.
Notes
Hickey, Hahne and Connelly ran just off their personal bests for a 5K cross country race. Kaeslin beat her best by 13 seconds, Barker by 39 seconds, and Cary by 2 seconds. Quinn was 4 seconds off of her personal best, Meghan Hutch (19:19) 6 seconds off, and Cynthia Gray (19:23) ran a best by 2 seconds.
Players Mentioned
