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Posted: Sep 13, 2014

Women's Cross Country competes at SVC Invitational

Women's Cross Country competes at SVC Invitational
Results

BENNINGTON, Vt. – Eight teams competed in each the men's and women's 5000 meter races at the 2014 Mountaineer Invitational Saturday at Southern Vermont College, Mount Saint Mary College taking the women's title in the morning before the SVC men won the program's first-ever home meet championship in the afternoon.

Caroline Causer was the top finisher for the Trailblazers who finished eighth among the competition.  Annie Gagnon was next across and was closely followed by Martha Pratt.

MSMC sophomore Brigitte Leyva (Hyde Park, New York) was the women's individual champion, crossing with a time of 21:50. Southern Vermont senior Herson Canta (Lagunitas, California) took home the men's crown, finishing at 17:00.
 

The grueling mountain-side course was overcast for most of the day with the sun failing to fully poke through the clouds. Vermont autumn started to make an appearance as the crisp mid-50's temperatures made for great running conditions. The rain was kind enough to hold off until the end of the men's meet after noon, sprinkling the campus as the last participants were crossing the line. All runners and spectators stuck through the heavier downfall as the top 10 individual finishers and top three team placements of each race were awarded to conclude the day.

Mount Saint Mary saw three finishers in the top 10 on the female side including two in the top three. Leyva narrowly beat out Paul Smith's College sophomore Chloe Mattilio (Willow Street, Pennsylvania) who came in a second later at 21:51. MSMC freshman Brianna Stamm (Levittown, New York) placed third overall at 22:45 to help the Knights take the championship. SUNY Canton freshman Samantha Smith (Mooers Forks, New York) put on the jets in the final 200 yards to move up a placement and finish fourth at 22:58.30, just getting over the line before SVC sophomore Schyler McGuire(Mechanicville, New York) who finished at 22:58.82 for fifth.
 

All of Mount Saint Mary's point-earing runners finished in the top 15, giving the Knights a total of 38 points for the victory. Paul Smith's finished second as a team with 70 points while Castleton State College finished right behind in third with a total of 75 points. CSC was paced by sophomore Margaret Kuchinski (Delmar, New York) who placed ninth overall with a time of 23:51.