Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Gettysburg Invitational
Tolli Takes Top-15 Finish to Lead Bucknell Women's Cross Country at Pre-Nationals
10/13/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Oct. 13, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bucknell women's cross country split squads but the divided force did not mean any less success as the Bison were 12th in the unseeded race at Pre-Nationals and third at the Gettysburg Invitational on Saturday. Caroline Tolli (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) was 13th overall at Pre-Nationals in Louisville, Ky., in what was Bucknell's final race before the Patriot League Championships on Oct. 27.
Tolli finished the six-kilometer course at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park in 21:47.6 to lead the Bison and give her team one of two top-100 finishes. Katie Jessee (Concord, Mass./Concord Carlisle) crossed the line in 22:30.4, giving her 64th place overall.
“Tolli was tremendous. She ran a great race,” said head coach Kevin Donner. “Our other ladies ran very aggressive and looked very good through two miles but faded quite a bit after two miles. The fast course may have been a shock to their system since have been racing on hilly courses all year.”
Despite the fade, Bucknell finished 12th in a field of 27 teams, posting 327 points. Utah Valley won the team trophy with 154 points.
Closer to home, Bucknell took third in the team standings at the Gettysburg Invitational. The Bison totaled 127 points, finishing only behind Shippensburg (92 points) and Gettysburg (118).
Leading the way for the Bison was Becky Snelson (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) with a 17th-place finish overall. The sophomore clocked in at 23:13, while just five seconds behind her was Emily Waskmunski (Carrolltown, Pa./Bishop Carroll). Waksmunski finished 19th.
Bucknell now looks to the Patriot League Championships in two weeks' time. The Bison were second at the league meet a year ago, trailing Navy by just three points. Colgate will host the event in Hamilton, N.Y., at the same site of the early-season Harry Lang Invitational.
BUCKNELL FINISHERS – PRE-NATIONALS (6K)
Unseeded Race
13. Caroline Tolli – 21:47.6
64. Katie Jessee – 22:30.4
103. Meghan Carroll – 22:57.2
110. Zoe Gaston – 23:03.4
121. Alison Billas – 23:09.9
123. Hana Casalnova – 23:11.8
161. Nora Adams – 23:36.8
TOP BUCKNELL FINISHERS – GETTYSBURG INVITATIONAL (6K)
17. Becky Snelson – 23:13
19. Emily Waksmunski – 23:18
32. Betsy Edinger – 23:42
34. Alison Lockwood – 23:44
35. Leigh Ann Labate – 23:44
42. Kylie Pearse – 24:03
43. Erin Holbrook – 24:04
