Senior runs away from 37-person field to pace Warriors in opener
FITCHBURG, Mass. - Eastern Connecticut State University senior Amanda Quinones (Trumbull) easily defended her individual title at the Jim Sheehan Memorial Cross Country Invitational, breezing to a two-minute victory in a field of 37 women's cross country runners Friday afternoon at Coggshall Park.
At right: Amanda Quinones
Quinones was one of four Eastern runners finishing in the Top Ten in the season-opener, posting a time of 21:02 over the 3.1 mile layout, winning by just under two minutes over Chelsey Peso of Worcester State. Quinones was timed in 21:18 a year ago when she outran a field of 41 in a 36-second victory
Joining Quinones in the Top Ten from Eastern were junior Cora Gingras (East Hampton), and sophomores Katie France (Portland), and Alexa Palasky (Griswold). Gingras was fifth in a time of 23:28, France seventh at 23:45 and Palasky ninth at 24:03.
Worcester State University defended its team title by edging Eastern by six points in the five-team field.
With freshman Melissa Zablonski (Colchester) finishing 11th overall as Eastern's fifth scoring runner, Eastern put its five scorers ahead of Worcester's fifth, but the Lancers dominated the front of the pack behind Quinones by grabbing the 2-3-4 positions.
Eastern competes in the Massachusetts Dartmouth Invitational Saturday at 11:15 a.m.
