Sept. 6, 2008

Cross Country Squads Use Improved Times to Earn Third-Place Finishes

    Akron, Ohio -- The Youngstown State men's and women's cross country teams each had members finish in the top 10 in the season's first meet at the 40th Tommy Evans Invitational at Firestone Metro Park on Saturday afternoon.
    Junior Justin Dickman finished sixth with a four-mile time of 21:11 to lead the men's squad to a third-place finish while Lauren Blase and Kayla Witmer placed eighth and ninth to pace the women's squad to a third-place showing.
    Dickman, who earned second-team All-Horizon League honors last season, improved his time by 47 seconds compared to his 2007 performance at Firestone. Freshman Rick Lape finished 11th with a time of 21:25 in his first collegiate meet, and Jake Lape was 16th in 21:39. Dan Nemergut finished 19th in 22:01, and Scott Denham was 20th in 22:09. Jake Lape's time was 42 seconds faster than last season's, and Denham improved his time from last year's opener by 1:24.
    Blase finished the women's 5K race in 19:37, which was a 1:58 improvement from last season, to earn her eighth-place finish. Witmer's ninth-place time of 19:41 was 43 seconds faster than last season, and freshman Liz Shivers finished 26th in 20:48. Lisa Lee finished 29th with a time of 20:59, and freshman Jocelyn Steiner placed 36th in 21:38.
    The men's squad, competing without its top runner at the meet from last season, was just nine points behind Akron in second and 16 behind first-place Buffalo. The women's team defeated league opponent Cleveland State by 27 points.
    The Penguins will compete at the Spiked Shoe Invitational on Sept. 13.