HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/28/2006)--The Colgate University women's cross country team took third place of eight teams today at the Patriot League Championship on Colgate's Harry Lang Course. The Raiders improved four spots from their seventh-place finish in 2005. Sophomore Kristen Kiraly (Huntington, N.Y.) led the Raiders in eighth place to earn all-Patriot League second-team honors with a time of 24:22.

 

Kiraly cut 40 seconds off of her time on the same course earlier this season and improved 69 places from her finish last season at the Patriot League Championship despite the tough running conditions. The Raiders as a team finished with 82 points, just three points behind runner-up Navy.

 

Bucknell took home the team title for the second consecutive season with a low score of 28 points. Bison runner Leanna Nastase led the way in the race, clocking in with a winning time of 23:05, 19 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate Erin Crammer-Hart.

 

Colgate placed all five of its scoring competitors in the top 22 runners, including four runners within seven places of each other. Senior Meaghan McAnaney (Syracuse, N.Y.) was right behind Kiraly in 15th place, covering the muddy 6k course in 24:35. She moved up 27 places from 2005 after finishing 42 a year ago.

 

Classmate Liz Crowley (West Simsbury, Conn.) was right on her heels, hitting the tape 12 seconds and two places later with a time of 24:47. The Raiders fourth and final senior, Hannah Failing (Deerfield, N.Y.) finished in 24:52 in 20th place, while junior Kathryn Marvel (Williamsburg, Mass.) rounded out the top five with a time of 25:01.

 

Sophomores Jessica Kielty (Depew, N.Y.) and Caitlin English (West Seneca, N.Y.) completed Colgate's top seven, finishing just four seconds apart. Kielty hit the tape in 25:21 for 32nd overall and English turned in a time of 25:25 for 34th of 82 runners.

 

The Raiders run again on Nov. 11, traveling to the NCAA Regional Championship in Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y.