By: Scott Eddy, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications
CLINTON, Pa. – The St. Bonaventure cross country teams battled unforgiving course conditions Friday morning at the Colonial Invitational with the Bona women placing eighth out of 11 teams.
An already challenging Youthtown Cross Country Course featuring the rolling hills terrain outside Pittsburgh was left drenched by three inches of rain on Wednesday and another downpour Thursday night. This week's rains reduced the course to a quagmire with many runners posting times two minutes or more off their personal bests as they sank through the mud.
Junior Miranda Habshi led the Bonnies by finishing 31st in the field of 140 competitors. She logged a 6K time of 24:12.49 while classmate Naina Slaughter was close behind in 38th at 24:34.82.
Another third-year runner was next in the pack for the Bonnies as Madeline McKillop crossed the finish line in 24:55.41. Freshman Jahrie Houle took 57th overall at 25:06.13 while senior Chloe Fisher (25:12.26) and junior Madison McMahon (25:19.62) battled for the final spot in the team top five.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH BOB MACFARLANE
"Today's conditions at the Colonial Invitational were some of the toughest our men and women have ever raced in. The course was extremely muddy and sloppy, making it very difficult to get any kind of traction. Looking across the results, the men were generally around two minutes slower than their previous races, while the women were about a minute to a minute and a half slower. This was one of those days when the clock simply didn't tell the whole story.
"Our theme this year has focused on the characteristics that help us persevere through difficult situations, and today was all about competitive courage. When the course and conditions are working against you, you have to make the decision to keep competing, regardless of what the clock says.I thought our runners handled that challenge extremely well. They stayed tough, kept competing, and showed the competitive courage we've been talking about all season. On one of the hardest courses and in some of the toughest conditions we've faced, I was very proud of the way our men and women responded."
UP NEXT
St. Bonaventure is off next weekend and returns to action Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Lock Haven Invitational.
BONNIES RESULTS
31. Miranda Habshi – 24:12.49
38. Naina Slaughter – 24.34.82
52. Madeline McKillop – 24:55.41
57. Jahrie Houle – 25:061.13
60. Chloe Fisher – 25:12.26
61. Madison McMahon – 25:19.62
68. Sophia Bille – 25:31.21
70. Sydney Dunn – 25:33.71
74. Sydney March – 25:45.52
75. Alex Jensen – 25:46.75
77. Estella Hyde – 25:51.33
79. Anna Nikodem – 25:53.54
80. Charlotte Tower – 25:53.77
82. Gabby Randazzo – 25:56.65
90. Brooke Hudnall – 26:18.62
98. Jayne Gavin – 26:48.03
102. Elise Brooks – 27:02.43
103. Olivia Wayne – 27:05.85
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