Cross Country

SALISBURY, Md.-The Salisbury University cross country program didn't take advantage of their home course on Saturday morning at the Don Cathcart Invitational as the Sea Gulls faced stiff competition in both the men's and women's races at Winter Place Park.

The Salisbury women's team finished third behind in-state Division I power Towson University and East Stroudsburg University. The Tigers had four runners finish in the top eight including Katie Ogden (21:53) and Michelle Donadio (21:55), who finished first and second, respectively, in the 5,920 meters race. Towson had 40 points and ESU (75 points) finished 12 points ahead of Salisbury.

SU senior Casey McInerny paced the Gulls as she finished seventh overall with a time of 22:39. Senior Zuzka O'Zwoldike crossed the finished line with a personal best time of 22:48, in ninth place overall. Junior Kelly Sullivan (23:01, 14th place), freshman Kristin Stromberg (23:52, 25th place) and senior Lauren DePaul (24:14, 37th place) rounded out SU's top five runners that earned team points.

Salisbury senior Eric Graves was the top Sea Gull once again as he finished the 8,000 meters course in fourth place with a time of 25:32. SU only had three runners in the Top 25 as nationally ranked Mount Union College dominated the race. The Purple Raiders' five runners that scored finished third, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Mount Union won the event with 33 points as they had 10 runners finish in the first 21 spots. Mansfield University (60 points) and ESU (85 points) finished second and third overall as Salisbury came in fourth with 98 points.

SU senior Buck Stokes finished a shade over 26 minutes (26:10) which placed him 13th overall followed by freshman Chris Barnard, who came in 25th (26:48). Juniors Zack Dickerson (26:58, 32nd place) and Ben Thomas (27:05, 37th place) rounded out the scoring for the Gulls.

Mansfield's Chris Cummings won the men's race with a time of 24:51.

Salisbury is off next week and will next travel to Center Valley, Pa., to participate in the DeSales University Invitational on Saturday, October 13.

Results:

• Women's Race (PDF)

• Men's Race (PDF)