LORETTO, Pa. - The Duquesne women's cross country team posted five of the top-eight times and seven of the top-11 overall to secure the team title at the Saint Francis University Father Bede Invitational Friday afternoon to open the 2022 season.
Haley Hamilton was just two seconds off of the pace of the individual medalist winner and took second overall with a time of 18 minutes, 50.7 seconds.
Gina Bolla,
Tori Kocsis,
Ryley Schwalm and
Claire Belton crossed the finish line fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, to help clinch the team championship. Bolla came across in 19 minutes, 26.4 seconds, before Kocsis (19:32.3), Schwalm (19:33.6) and Belton (19:36.7) followed within five seconds of each other.
Kate Saum and
Addy Ciecierski each finished in the top-11, with Saum coming in at 19 minutes, 40.4 seconds, which was just ahead of Ciecerski's 19-minute, 45.1-second time.
Angela Valotta paced both of them with a time of 19 minutes, 57.6 seconds to collect 13th place.
The Dukes will have a week off before returning to the course on Friday, Sept. 16. The team will split up when part of the team will head to South Bend, Indiana for the National Catholic Invitational hosted by Notre Dame. The remaining members of the team will make the short trip over to Clinton, Pa. for the Robert Morris University Colonial Invitational. The women's race is slated for 4:15 p.m. at RMU.
