Women’s Cross Country Competes at Mass. Maritime Invitational to Begin Season

BUZZARD'S BAY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's cross country team kicked off the 2015 season with a fifth-place finish at the 11th Annual Lt. Travis J. Fuller Invitational hosted by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Saturday.

Senior Jill Russell (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) led the Lions with a time of 24:32 to claim 18th place. BreAnna Fraser (Henderson, Nev.) crossed the finish line on Russell's heels with a mark of 24:33.

Dezirae Maffit (Aurora, Ill.) clocked in with a time of 25:54 while Jessica Franco (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished in 26:20.

Jaime Hultgren (Somers, Conn.) and Christina Saint-Pierre (Lantana, Fla.) also competed for Eastern Nazarene.

Emerson captured the team title with six runners finishing in the top 10, including four in the top five. Massachusetts Maritime's Mara Footit posted the fastest time of the day to win the individual crown.

A total of 47 racers representing five institutions competed at the meet.

Up next, the Lions will participate in the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational September 19.