LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – For the first time under head coach Joe Jaketic, the Cleveland State cross country team captured a meet title Saturday, placing first as a team at the Lock Haven Invitational.
"I am so proud of this team, and what they were able to accomplish on the course today. It was a hot day to run a 6K, but we pushed through and were able to capture the LHU Invitational title!" head coach Joe Jaketic said. "The team is so happy to bring home the title, and they are all so proud of how everyone ran today. We are going to continue to push hard during practice and hopefully get even better as the season continues."
As a team, the Vikings totaled 62 points on the day, 17 points ahead of second place finisher West Chester.
The Vikings were paced by five top-25 individual finishers, including Cleveland State's top finisher of Karen Barrientos who placed sixth overall. Barrientos posted a 6K time of 22:14, a time that ranks second on the CSU Top Performances list and is just four seconds behind her record-setting 6K time that she had last year.
Freshman Anna Brandt finished seventh overall with a time of 22:20 in her first collegiate 6K race, while Jessica Finley finished right behind her in eighth place with a time of 22:21. Finley's time marked a career-best for the sophomore, while both times rank in the top-five on the CSU Top Performances list.
The final two Vikings to finish in the top-25 were Olivia Hammons and Samantha Butterbaugh, finishing 19th and 22nd, respectively. Hammons posted a time of 23:10 – knocking 45 seconds off of her career-best 6K mark – and Butterbaugh recorded a 6K time of 23:15.
Deanna Swinerton and Kylie Scott were the next two Vikings to cross the finish line, both earning top-50 finishes in their first collegiate 6K races. Swinerton placed 39th overall with a time of 23:49, while Kylie Scott finished 47th in 24:03.
Senior Emily Marshall and sophomore Anna Beasley also recorded personal-best times at the LHU Invitational Saturday, Marshall with a time of 24:36, and Beasley with a time of 24:40.
Also competing for the Vikings were Samantha Meyer (24:30), Abbey Rojeck (25:21), Calah Bishop (26:07), and Bridget Smik (28:09).
Up next for the Vikings will be the All-Ohio Championship on Friday, September 29, with the women's 6K slated for a 2:45 p.m. start in Cedarville, Ohio.
LHU Invitational Results
6. Karen Barrientos, 22:14
7. Anna Brandt, 22:20
8. Jessica Finley, 22:21
19. Olivia Hammons, 23:10
22. Samantha Butterbaugh, 23:15
39. Deanna Swinerton, 23:49
47. Kylie Scott, 24:03
66. Samantha Meyer, 24:30
70. Emily Marshall, 24:36
74. Anna Beasley, 24:40
95. Abbey Rojeck, 25:21
119. Calah Bishop, 26:07
173. Bridget Smik, 28:09
