BRONX, N.Y. -- The LIU Brooklyn women's cross country team finished in sixth place at the Metropolitan Championships, held at historic Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y. on Friday. With a total time of 1:45.01, which is 21.01 per runner, the top five Blackbirds ran 8.34 faster as a team (1:42 faster each) than the team's finish at VCP only a month ago. It marks the best LIU finish at the annual event in recent years.
Leading the pack was senior Eugenie Hue in 30th place, with an impressive mark of 20:11.5. Just behind her in 37th and 38th was the veteran tandem of seniors Esther Jean-Louis and Sarah Northup, who paced each other, coming in at 20:43.4 and 20:43.7, respectively.
Senior Cayla Coleman in her first-ever cross country meet at VCP set a new personal best time of 21:17.6 (51st place), and just missed out on the top 50. Her classmate Zaahira Deboise was the Blackbirds' fifth scorer, in 22:04 (58th Place), as she cut exactly 0:12 off her time at the same site last month.
Sophomore Stephanie Reyes (22.32.4, 63rd), who has steadily improved throughout the season, knocked off over 23 seconds from her VCP finish last month, while freshman Jasmine Douglas Grant was on her trail in 22:46.6 (68th), in only her second collegiate race to round out the pack.
Host school Fordham (30) were victorious in their own meet, followed by Manhattan (62), Columbia (84), Seton Hall (84), St. John's (139) and LIU (177 points). The remaining order of finish was NJIT (7th), LIU Post (8th), NYIT (9th), St. Francis Brooklyn (10th) and St. Peter's (11th).
NEC CHAMPIONSHIPS UP NEXT
The Blackbirds will take next weekend off of competition to prepare for the NEC Championships on Saturday, October 27, back at Bryant in Smithfield, R.I.