(Posted August 30, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata's men's and women's cross country teams opened their 2008 seasons on Saturday at the Duquesne Duals, Saturday afternoon at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pa.

In the men's 8 km race, freshman Ceth Parker (Sabillasville, Md./Catoctin) finished 39th overall with a time of 28:14. Sophomore Steve Schmitt (New Providence, Pa./Solanco) posted a time of 28:36, good enough for 46th place. Nikolai Klena (Franklin, Pa./Oil City) was 62nd with a time of 29:31, leading a trio of Juniata runners. Kenny Goodfellow (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg) was 63rd with a time of 29:35, followed by Kevin Donohue (Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown) in 64th place with a time of 29:36.

The Juniata men posted a record of 2-6, as they defeated squads from Niagara and St. Bonaventure. The team's top seven runners averaged 29:28 for the 8000m course, which was 80 seconds slower than the team's top seven averaged last October.

On the women's side, newcomer Jessica Koenig (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) paced the Eagles in the 5 km event with a 30th place finish in a time of 20:44. Senior Meghan Jones (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) was 36th with a time of 21:02, while sophomore Megan McQuillan was further back in 44th place with a time of 21:20. Laura Rupprecht (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) was 48th overall with a time of 21:43, while freshman Danielle Brooks (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) rounded Juniata's top five finishers with a 53rd place finish in a time of 21:53.

Three of the veteran women improved on their performances of last October: Elizabeth Linde (Kirkwood, Pa./Solanco) improved by 51 seconds, Anne Wakabayashi (El Cajon, Calif./Our Lady of the Academy of Peace) and Lindsay Norton (Glen Rock, Pa./Susquehannock) each improved by 15 seconds.

The Juniata women posted a record of 2-5, defeating Niagara and St. Bonaventure but falling to Duquesne, Pittsburgh, Canisius, Carnegie Mellon, and Wheeling Jesuit. The team's top seven runners averaged 21:43 for the 5000m course, which was just 23 seconds slower than last year's top seven averaged on this same course in mid-October.

Both Eagle cross country teams will compete next Saturday, Sept. 6, at Hanover College's Madison Kiwanis Invitational in Hanover, Ind.

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