Fitchburg, MA --- Freshman Patrick Bova (Princeton, MA) and junior Tim Mazeika (Millbury, MA) placed ninth (27:42) and tenth (27:59), respectively, to help lead the Worcester State men's cross country team to third place at the season-opening Jim Sheehan Invitaitonal on Friday afternoon held at Cogshell Park.

Sophomore Pat Daley (Millbury, MA) added 14th (28:25) followed by junior Kerry Sabanty (Stoughton, MA) who placed 21st (30:07).

Second-year Zach Creeden (Billerica, MA) (31:12, 25th) and senior Eric Thulin (Millbury, MA) (31:35, 26th) were 23 seconds off each other as freshman Adam Pepin (Paxton, MA) rounded out the top seven for the Lancers with 30th place (32:14).

Fitchburg State captured the top seven spots en route to a first-place team finish (15 points) followed by Eastern Connecticut (59 points) as WSU tallied 71 points.

Next Saturday the Blue and Gold hit the ultra-fast UMass Dartmouth course at the Shriners Invitational.