Notre Dame, Ind. – Sophomore Sylvia Kashak and junior Ben Shields led the way for the Duquesne University cross country teams Friday at the National Catholic Invitational, hosted by the University of Notre Dame.

The Dukes finished fourth in the men's team standings, placing all five scorers among the top 40 of the 203-runner field. The women's team finished sixth, while all 20 Duquesne competitors across both races finished in the top half of their respective fields.

Kashak led the women's team, finishing 15th overall in the 190-runner field with a time of 18:10.3 in the 5k. First year Elise Ashcroft followed with a sub-19-minute performance, placing 38th in 18:56.2 as the Dukes' second scorer. Junior Grace Senneway recorded a personal-best 19:09.3 to finish 46th, while Hailey Caldwell scored for the second consecutive meet to open her collegiate career, placing 52nd in 19:23.1. Sophomore Elizabeth Pizon rounded out the scoring five in 62nd at 19:36.1.

Six of Duquesne's 10 women's competitors raced in their first collegiate 5k.

Shields paced the men's team with a 22nd-place finish in 24:48.4. Junior Anthony Ciecierski posted a personal-best 25:08.3 to finish 32nd as the Dukes' second scorer, followed by junior Sam Freedman in 36th at 25:17.4. Senior Mason Stewart and sophomore Liam Kirkpatrick rounded out the scoring five in 38th and 39th, respectively, with Stewart clocking a personal-best 25:21.6 and Kirkpatrick recording a career-best 25:23.0.

Three of Duquesne's five men's scorers posted personal-best times, with five Dukes recording PRs overall and three competing in their first collegiate 8K.

UP NEXT
The Dukes are off next week and return to action Oct. 3 for the Swags Louisville Cross Country Classic.

FULL DUQUESNE RESULTS
Men's (8k)
Team: 4th (of 16)
22. Ben Shields (Jr) — 24:48.4
32. Anthony Ciecierski (Jr) — 25:08.3 (PR)
36. Sam Freedman (Jr) — 25:17.4
38. Mason Stewart (Sr) — 25:21.6 (PR)
39. Liam Kirkpatrick (So) — 25:23.0 (PR)
43. Evan Yurasko (Fr) — 25:24.9 (first career 8k)
57. Reese Cubbison (Fr) — 25:48.0 (first career 8k)
61. Brendan Burns (So) — 25:49.6 (PR)
62. Jacob Bonnar (Jr) — 25:50.9 (PR)
76. Lucas Bleakney (Fr) — 26:06.2 (first career 8k)

Women's (5k)
Team: 6th (of 15)
15. Sylvia Kashak (So) — 18:10.3 (first career 5k)
38. Elise Ashcroft (Fr) — 18:56.2 (first career 5k)
46. Grace Senneway (Jr) — 19:09.3 (PR)
52. Hailey Caldwell (Fr) — 19:23.1 (first career 5k)
62. Elizabeth Pizon (So) — 19:36.1 (first career 5k)
66. Lauren Ciuca (So) — 19:38.4 (first career 5k)
68. Ava Brewster (Jr) — 19:39.8
69. Cydney Blahovec (Sr) — 19:40.6 (PR)
70. Morgan Roemer (So) — 19:40.7
71. Kendall Lucas (So) — 19:41.0 (first career 5k)

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