Five Westfield State runners earned MASCAC all-conference honors by placing in the top 10. Left to right are: Olivia Marshall, Taylor Surrette, Andrea Domings, Jenn Asci, and Jenn Holley.
GORHAM, Maine – The Westfield State University women’s cross country team captured its 10th straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship by out-running rival Bridgewater State on Saturday.
Strong pack running paced the Owls, who compiled 34 points by placing seven runners in the top 12. Bridgewater finished with 44 points and Worcester State was a distance third with 75 points.
The Bears placed 1-2-6 but their fourth and fifth runners finished 16th and 19th, respectively. Bridgewater sophomore Krysta Zbikowski was the individual with a time of 19:29.25 on the 5K course.
Junior Olivia Marshall was Westfield’s top runner; she continued her strong late-season surge and placed third in 20:03.11. Owl freshman Jenn Asci finished fourth in 20:12.18 and earned MASCAC Rookie of the Year honors as the top freshman finisher. She was followed by freshman Taylor Surrette (8th, 20:29.73), junior Jenn Holley (9th, 20:39.30), senior Andrea Domings (10th, 20:48.79), sophomore Michelle Kelleher (11th, 20:50.14), and senior Caitlin Ryan (12th, 20:54.46).
Westfield State University seniors display the championship hardware. Left to right are: Kristina Duplisea, Ryan Doherty, Andrea Domings, Mike Kelleher, Caitlin Ryan, Sean Comerford, Kelsey Garvey, Cam Fairbanks. (Photo by Olivia Marshall)
MEN COAST TO CHAMPIONSHIP: The Westfield State University men’s cross country team captured the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship with a dominating performance.
The Owls placed five runners in the top six (11 in the top 14) in compiling 18 points, the second lowest total in MASCAC meet history. The Westfield State 1987 team, which placed third in the New England Regional to qualify for the NCAA Division III championships, breezed to the MASCAC title with 16 points.
Fitchburg finished second with 68 points and Bridgewater was third with 99 points in the 2013 eight-team MASCAC meet. Westfield regained the title after being edged by Bridgewater in 2012. The Owls have seven of the past 10 MASCAC championships and 24 overall.
Westfield sophomore Tim Shea of West Springfield crossed the finish line first with a time of 26:14.63 on the five-mile layout.
Earning MASCAC rookie of the year honors by placing second was Westfield freshman Ben Parzich of Agawam with a 26:37.63 clocking.
Other Owls earning all-conference honors by placing in the top 10 were: freshman Chris Williams (4th, 27:11.38), sophomore Mike Skelly (5th, 27:17.23), senior Cam Fairbanks (6th, 27:25.14), junior Steve Connolly (8th, 27:40.15), and junior Zak Gross (9th, 27:40.83).
The New England Alliance championship was held in conjunction with the MASCAC meet and the Owls placed third in the Alliance with 76 points, trailing perennial power Keene State (16 points), and Southern Maine (61 points). Shea (5th place), Parzich (9th), and Williams (20th) earned New England Alliance all-conference honors.
