(Posted September 16, 2006)

WAYNESBURG, Pa. ? Running on the same course, and against many of the same teams they will see at the NCAA Regional Championships, the Juniata College men?s and women?s cross country teams produced solid team efforts at the Waynesburg Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Juniata men ran to a sixth-place finish among the 14 team field, while the women?s squad placed seventh among 15 teams. WOMEN?S Juniata?s women?s team compiled 232 points as a team in the meet to capture its seventh-place finish. Juniata also bested one MAC foe in the race, while finishing behind one other conference opponent. Leading the Eagles on the day was Aubrey Cyphert (Seneca/North East) who captured a 33rd-place finish to top the Juniata team. She covered the course in a time of 25:05.5 to earn that finish. Just three spots behind her was Meghan Jones (Meadville/Meadville) who ran a time of 25:14.8 which helped her to a 36th-place finish. Lia Bella (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) was the third runner for the Eagles, as she narrowly missed a top-50 finish by placing 52nd. She covered the course in a time of 25:46.8. Kristen Gochnauer (Warwick/Litiz) was fourth for Juniata as her time of 26:15.1 was good for a 67th-place finish. Rounding out the top five for the Blue and Gold was Meghan Fahy (Brandywine/Wilmington, Del.) who crossed the line in 72nd position with a time of 26:24.6. Dickinson?s Cait Bradley led all finishers in the women?s race with a time of 22:32.2. MEN?S The Eagles placed each of their top-five runners in the top 65 in the race, and as a team had a score of 224. The Eagles topped the only other MAC school in the field with their sixth-place effort. Freshman Matt Bailey (Hempfield/East Petersburg) led Juniata for the second-straight week as he placed 26th with a time of 27:36.08. Running just three spots behind him was Shawn Rumery (Thornton Academy/Daytone, Maine) whose time of 27:39.38 was good for 29th place. Juniata?s third runner was Mike Chirdon (Riverview/Verona) who crossed the line in 37th position posting a time of 27:50.82. Rounding out the top five were Eric Hoover (Brandywine/Wilmington, Del.) and Jason Hoover (Brandywine/Wilmington, Del.) who placed 62nd and 64th respectively. Eric Hoover ran a time of 28:39.03 while Jason Hoover was just a few seconds behind with a time of 28:44.48. Ryan Place of Allegheny College was the top overall finisher on the men?s side as he ran a time of 26:06.84. Juniata will run again next Saturday in an invitational at Penn State-Altoona. ###

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