Marlin men race past the competition
August 30, 2008
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- If the remainder of the season follows the lead of the opening meet for the Virginia Wesleyan College men's cross country team, the Marlins could be on a record-setting pace.
For the first time in the 10-year history of the Blue Marlin Invitational, the host team won its own event, finishing in first in a field of 11 teams that competed Saturday on the VWC campus. Four Marlins, paced by a runner-up finish by senior standout Robert Aaron (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) in a field of 80 runners, placed in the top eight runners in the 8K event to help VWC score 39 points. Runner-up Lynchburg College tallied 64 points, edging out Roanoke College, which finished with 69 points.
Senior Ashley Roane (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) placed 11th in a field of 88, and rookie Kaylee Cossaboon (New Kent, Va./New Kent) placed 14th, pacing the Virginia Wesleyan women to 114 points and a fifth-place finish in a field of 12. Washington and Lee University's Generals, the preseason pick to repeat as Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion, won the women's 5K race, scoring 18 points.
Sophomores Nick Lauter (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) and Rob Bell (Gainesville, Va./Haymarket Battlefield) emerged big for the Virginia Wesleyan's men, turning in career-best times en route to their top eight finishes. Lauter crossed the finish line in fourth place with a time of 27:51 and Bell was close behind, finishing sixth in a time of 27:59.4. Junior Evan Ashby (Remington, Va./Bealeton Liberty) added to the impressive showing with an eighth-place time of 28:23.2. Aaron turned in a time of 27:49.2, finishing behind Bridgewater College's Brandon Spalding, the race winner at 27:19.2.
Rookie Sean Whitson (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) made his intercollegiate debut an impressive one for the Marlins, taking a position in the top 20 with a time of 28:49.5. He placed 19th overall.
Washington and Lee's Jessica Shaw took the win in the women's race with a time of 22:17.8, finishing in front of teammate Elizabeth Webb, who crossed the finish line in a time of 22:37.7. The Generals took five of the top six individual finishes.
Virginia Wesleyan's women posted four top 25 places overall, as rookie Kelly Fauth (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) and junior Lan Tran (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar F. Smith) finished 24th and 25th, respectively. Fauth posted a final time of 25:32.5 and Tran was right behind at 25:33. A total of 88 women competed.
Final results in the 2008 Blue Marlin Invitational are as follows:
MEN -- 1. VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 39; 2. Lynchburg 64; 3. Roanoke 69; 4. Bridgewater 105; 5. Christopher Newport 142; 6. Goldey-Beacom 176; 7. Marymount 199; 8. Eastern Mennonite 222; 9. Guilford 226; 10. Hampden-Sydney 228; 11. Averett (NS). Top 5 individuals: 1. Brandon Spalding (Bridgewater) 27:19.2; 2. ROBERT AARON (VWC) 27:49.2; 3. Benard Korinko (Marymount) 27:50.6; 4. NICK LAUTER (VWC) 27:51; 5. Alex Knutsen (Roanoke) 27:51.6.
VWC finishes: 2. Robert Aaron 27:49.2; 4. Nick Lauter 27:51; 6. Rob Bell 27:59.4; 8. Evan Ashby 28:23.2; 19. Sean Whitson 28:49.5; 41. Terrell Shelton (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) 30:35; 43. Dan Moulton (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) 30:39.9; 59. Matt Sherman (Gloversville, N.Y./Gloversville)
WOMEN -- 1. Washington and Lee 18; 2. Lynchburg 82; 3. Norfolk State 88; 4. Roanoke 89; 5. VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 114; 6. Christopher Newport 134; 7. Bridgewater 205; 8. Guilford 248; 9. Marymount 253; 10. Averett (NS), Eastern Mennonite (NS), Goldey Beacom (NS). Top 5 individuals: 1. Jessica Shaw (Washington and Lee) 22:17.8; 2. Elizabeth Webb (Washington and Lee) 22:37.7; 3. Jennifer Chichester (Norfolk State) 22:56.5; 4. Kate Telfeyan (Washington and Lee) 22:56.8; 5. Becca Taylor (Washington and Lee) 23:44.2
VWC finishes: 11. Ashley Roane 24:36.2; 14. Kaylee Cossaboon 24:53.5; 24. Kelly Fauth 25:32.5; 25. Lan Tran 25:33; 51. Deslie Crumpton (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) 27:49.6; 53. Rachel Satterwhite (Gainesville, Va./Haymarket Battlefield) 27:54.1; 57. Melissa Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) 28:20.2; 61. Melissa Pascucci (Nokesville, Va./Brentsville) 29:17.5; 69. Caitlyn Worner (Virginia Beach, Va./Green Run) 30:13.8; 72. Mandi Ryan (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar F. Smith) 30:41.6
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