Women's Results

Men's Results

Belle Vernon, Pa. – Junior Christie Turak smashed her own school record by running 5K in 17:49, winning the individual title at the California (Pa.) Cross Country Invitational at Willowbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon, Pa. Saturday, Sept. 5. She led the Lakers to a sixth-place finish in the 10-team field. On the men's side, Mercyhurst finished fourth out of seven teams, led by Tomas Bolger.

Turak placed first out of 108 runners on Saturday, beating the second-place finisher by nearly 50 seconds. She broke her own program record for 18:11 for 5K, set Sept. 19, 2008 at the Notre Dame Catholic College Invitational. Junior Jennifer Mieczkowski placed 20 with a time of 20:31, and Cherie Jackson ran 21:00 for 29th place. Juniors Amanda Ehrbar (21:49, 39th place) and Clara Strasenbergh (22:10, 45th) rounded out the team scoring, as the Lakers scored 134 points for sixth place. Freshman Jennifer Hoobler placed 46th in 22:37, while Jessica Pachlhofer clocked a 24:01 for 55th place.

Grove City captured the women's team title, followed by host institution Cal (Pa.)

Bolger led the Lakers, placing seventh in the men's 8K race with a time of 27:09. Mercyhurst recorded 76 points for fourth out of seven teams entered. Freshman Nicholas Stolar posted a time of 27:41 to finish in 12th place. Sophomore Kevin Gregg took 16th position in a time of 28:19. Freshman Ryan Haylett came in 19th place, running 28:33, while Steven Lovewell's 28:59 was good for 22nd place, rounding out the Laker scoring. Also competing for the team's top seven were: junior Christopher Strohm, who placed 23rd with a 29:01, and senior Andrew Rusnak, who ran a 31:06.

Seton Hill University won the men's race, followed by Grove City, Cal (Pa.) and Mercyhurst, in that order.

The Lakers next compete Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Lock Haven Invitational. The meet begins at 10 a.m.