Balance Leads Eagles To Landmark Women's XC Title

10/27/2007 12:00:00 AM

TOWSON, Md. - Juniata had only one individual among the top 10 finishers in the inaugural Landmark Conference Women's Cross Country Championship, but the Eagles still managed to capture the team title.

Juniata achieved a team score of 64 points, which put the Eagles 11 points ahead of Moravian, which produced a team score of 75 points. Catholic finished third with 82 points, followed by Susquehanna (87 points) in fourth, Scranton (115) in fifth, Drew (121) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (121) tied for sixth and Goucher (173) in eighth.

Susquehanna's Alycia Woodruff was the individual champion as she completed the 6,000-meter race in 24:27, a new course record. She finished eight seconds ahead of Moravian's Kayla Teeling, and was voted the Outstanding Female Performer for 2007 in the Landmark Conference in a vote by the conference's eight head coaches.

Laura Rupprecht was the only Juniata runner to crack the top 10 as she placed third with a time of 24:42. Tara Chiarella from Moravian (24:49) placed fourth and was selected Female Rookie Runner of the Year in the balloting by the head coaches.

Jenna Hackett from Catholic (25:04), Becky Prial from Scranton (25:21) and J. Fraley Coles from Goucher (25:25) placed fifth through seventh, respectively. The top seven runners in the race make up the All-Landmark Conference first team.

The next seven runners earn second-team all-conference honors: 8. Laura Gausmann, Susquehanna (25:33); 9. Alyse Cheatle, Catholic (25:35); 10. Callie Beeler, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (25:45); 11. Aubrey Cyphert, Juniata (25:49); 12. Mary Shashaty, Catholic (25:51); 13. Meghan Jones, Juniata (25:53) and 14. Caitlin Pflaun, Susquehanna (25:58).

There were a total of 71 runners.