Sept. 5, 2009
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Sophomore Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.) scored an individual win, while the Nittany Lion women swept the top seven spots, Friday at the Dolan Duals at Lock Haven University. Sophomore Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia) was the top Penn State finisher on the men's side, taking third overall in the Nittany Lions' first competition of the cross country season.
Lane, who also won the Lock Haven meet as a freshman, led an impressive contingent of underclassman, finishing in the 4,000-meter course in 13:54.90 - nearly 50 seconds faster than her winning time in 2008. Lane led the race wire-to-wire, distancing herself from the field during the second half of the competition, eventually bettering the field by over 15 seconds.
Freshman Nicole Lord (Media, Pa.) - running in her first-career cross country race - followed in second place, finishing in 14:10.60. Sophomore Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) used a big finishing kick on the home stretch to place third overall, clocking 14:14.00. Rookie Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnati, Ohio) also impressed in her collegiate debut, stopping the clock at 14:15.30 to finish fourth. Senior Jessica Babcock (Irvine, Calif.) rounded out the Lion scoring pack with a fifth-place effort, finishing in 14:40.20.
Also joining the Lions' top seven was freshman Lindsey Graybill (Macungie, Pa.), and senior Paige Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.), who made it a seven-runner sweep by passing Lock Haven's top runner over the last 100 meters. The Lions would win the competition by a final score of 15-50.
"The ladies had a great day today," said Director and Head Coach of Track and Field/Cross Country Beth Alford-Sullivan. "I think we're surprising very fit and very fast. I think our top four or five were a good 40 seconds or so faster than they were last year. Overall, it was really a great opener for us."
Foster, an NCAA All-American at 800-meters, excelled over the 6,000-meter course, placing third overall and first for Penn State, clocking 18:16.10, thanks to a furious finishing kick. Teammate Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.), also a middle distance standout, finished neck and neck with Foster, taking fourth overall with a finishing time of 18:16.30.
Sophomore Chris Cipro (Harmony, Pa.) was the next Lion to cross the finish line, placing eighth in 18:20.60. Freshman Thomas Luff (Emmaus, Pa.) got an impressive start to his Lion career, taking ninth in 18:23.00. Junior Lucas Zarzeczny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) finished off the Lion five in 10th place, running 10:41.70. Freshman Tyler Corkedale (West Windsor, N.J.) and senior Will Nowicki (Hillsdale, N.J.) were the Lions' sixth and seventh, placing 14th and 15th overall.
The Lions were narrowly edged in the team standings, as the Bald Eagles topped Penn State 26-29.
"We came in with a target on our back and ran with kind of a half squad," said Sullivan. "I thought some things looked really pretty good. I liked that our 800-meter guys (Foster and Dawson) were some of the front runners for us. I think that shows our depth is pretty good. I think we're okay on the guys' side. It's never fun to get beat like that, but I think we'll bounce back just fine from it."
Nittany Lion fifth-year senior Tyler McCandless (Bath, Pa.), who has exhausted his cross country eligibility, but has both the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons remaining, took top honors in the men's race, breaking the tape 18:01.50 - besting the field by over 10 seconds.
The Nittany Lions, who still have several front runners on both the men's and women's teams waiting to open up this season, will continue the 2009 campaign next weekend, hosting the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. The competition, which will also feature a pair of high school races, is set for Friday, September 11, with the college races set to begin at 5:30 p.m.