Rogers and Team Takes Third at James Earley Invitational

Rogers and Team Takes Third at James Earley Invitational

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Both Worcester State University's team and junior runner Mia Rogers (North Dighton, Mass.) took third place at the James Earley cross country Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 7), as Rogers marked the best performance of a Worcester State runner on the Stanely Park course with a time of 18:36.53.

 

THE BASICS
October 7, 2017
22nd Annual James Earley Invitational
Stanley Park

 

TOP-10 TEAM SCORES
1st Place: Trinity (56)
2nd Place: University of New England (136)
3rd Place: Worcester State (174)
4th Place: Westfield State (181)
5th Place: Smith (194)
6th Place: Gordon (251)
7th Place: Williams (257)
8th Place: Plymouth State (257)
9th Place: Norwich (332)
10th Place: St. Anslem (333)

 

WORCESTER STATE TOP-7
3rd Place: Mia Rogers (18:36.53)
33rd Place: Elisabeth Olson (19:47.54)
43rd Place: Julia Carrier (19:57.84)
49th Place: Justine Murdocca (20:06. 38)
53rd Place: Kelsey Bedard (20:12.63)
79th Place: Riley Shaughnessy(20:39.02)
103rd Place: Shaylee Puleo (20:55.68)

 

RECAP

The James Earley Invitational individual winner was Abby Shafer of New England College who finished the 5K course in a time of 18:08.57. Westfield State's Jess Cardin followed at 2nd place with a time of 18:36.53 and Rogers came behind her at 3rd place with a school record time of 18:36.53 on the course. Her 18:36.53 is both a 47-second personal best and the fastest time ever recorded by a Worcester State runner over the 3.1 mile (5k) Stanley Park course.  The previous Worcester State school and course record was Olivia Patch's 18:46 set in 2004.

The next Lancer runner was sophomore Elisabeth Olson (Wilmington, Mass.) who marked a 19:47.54 time for a 4-second personal record. Julia Carrier (Oxford, Mass.), Justine Murdocca (Milford, Mass.), and Kelsey Bedard (Leominster, Mass.) followed as they headed off a strong push by four Westfield runners that secured the win for Worcester State. Riley Shaughnessy (New Bedford, Mass.) and Shaylee Puleo (Tewksbury, Mass.) wrapped up the top-7 at the 79th and 103rd spots, respectively, of 257 runners at the meet.  

The team took third place of 33 teams at the meet.

 

COACHES CORNER

Head coach Gary Jusseaume commented on Rogers' performance, "Mia ran an outstanding race today. Her focus on her training the last two weeks has been superb.  Coupled with her concentration on running a tactically sound race today, she proved a worthy opponent in a field of celebrated runners, especially those from Trinity College."

"Justine ran a one minute, forty-one second personal best on this course today in what is her best race performance of the season.  In addition, Kelsey Bedard's thirty-second PR was also a welcomed surprise.  Both runners are primed to run sub-twenty minute times at the MASCAC Conference meet."

"We knew going into this meet that despite the large field of teams and competitors, the rivalry between Worcester and Westfield would be particularly intense - And it was. We were as prepared both in training and competitive focus for this meet and the intensity Westfield was sure bring upon us.  It was their meet, on their course, and they are tough to beat at Stanley Park."

 

UP NEXT
Next Saturday (Oct. 14) the Lancers travel to Harkness Park in New London, Conn. to take part in the Connecticut College Invitational.

 

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