LAKE CHARLES, La. – Lamar University's cross country teams recorded four top-10 finishes and each placed third at the McNeese Season Opener held at the Ward 3 Parks and Rec Complex Friday evening. The women's team totaled 48 points in the 3,000-meter course while the men recorded 65 points in the 5K.
Stephen F. Austin swept both the men's and women's races, scoring 32 and 25 points, respectively. Mercy Kipchumba (9:39.99) won the women's race by 18 seconds while Lathan Lewter (14:34.85) won the men's race.
For the women, six of LU's first seven runners placed in the top 20.
Ashton Rainey led the Cardinals by placing fourth at 10:07.52. The next four Cardinals to cross the line were all freshmen competing in their first collegiate meet, as
Aubrey Garcia (9th; 10:30.77) and
Sara Verschure (10th; 10:38.18) rounded out the top 10, while
Madison Akers (11th; 10:46.62) and
Lily Davis (14th; 10:54.91) finished among the top 15.
Lauren Polk (22
nd; 11:19.23) and
Anna Eischen (23
rd; 11:23.63) finished just four seconds apart.
Bianka Paciorek (25th; 11:40.49),
Eleana Campos (30th; 12:26.68) and
Dena Marie Barby (31st; 12:34.36) rounded out the LU contingent.
Adrian Hahn Vadstein was the top LU male runner with a ninth-place finish (15:08.66). LU's next six runners crossed the line in three pairs, as
Ryan Servantes (15:10.74) and
Alexis Rodriguez (15:13.56) finished 11th and 12th,
Guillaume Dupre (15:27.27) and
Kenny Bibb (15:27.77) placed 16th and 17th, and
Dominick Luna (15:41.19) and
Riley Trent (15:43.16) were 21st and 22nd.
The Cardinals then occupied 25th through 28th place, with
Geovany Cisneros (16:01.47),
Aaron Garcia (16:02.50),
Luke Parker (16:08.62) and
Matthew Medina (16:12.45) finishing in that order.
Aaron Saenz (30th, 16:34.52) and
Aaron Nava (32nd, 16:42.60) completed the lineup.
Big Red will return for its second meet at the Texas A&M Invitational Friday, Sept. 11
th.
