EMMITSBURG, Md. (September 3, 2021) -- Graduate student Bethaney Donnelly (Manchester, United Kingdom) was the first Raven to cross the line at the Mount St. Mary's 5k Duals on Friday, when she finished the race in 19:10 to claim seventh place, in the 65-runner field. The Franklin Pierce University women's cross country team placed seventh out of seven teams at the waterlogged season opener, though five of the six teams in front of the Ravens represented Division I institutions. Despite the "Duals" name, the meet was scored via traditional collegiate cross country scoring rules, rather than via dual-meet rules.

George Washington put together cross country's version of a shutout, as the Colonials featured the top six finishers, which meant the team's five scoring runners were in the first through fifth positions. As a result, GWU totaled just 15 points, the lowest possible number in a standard collegiate meet, to run up a 46-point win over second-place Maryland (61 points). GWU senior Margaret Coogan took first place individually, with a 5k time of 18:33.

"Beth was the top non-George Washington finisher, which is one of the strongest Division I women's program's in the mid-Atlantic region," said head coach Zach Emerson after the meet. "So, it was a great motivator to see her mix up with them and hold her own."

Behind Donnelly, sophomore Meghan Sheline (Southington, Conn.) was the next Raven to cross the line, after racing a 22:39 time and claiming 40^th. Fellow sophomore Victoria Van Houten (Wantage, N.J.) was close behind, as she took 43^rd for her 22:54 time. In 46^th for her 23:03 time was senior Alana Thompson (Westampton, N.J.).

Shortly behind Thompson was graduate student Alena Masterson (Pelham, N.H.), who raced a 23:10 time to take 49^th and round out Franklin Pierce's scoring five. Sophomore Jasmin Baillargeon (South Wheelock, Vt.) took 52^nd for her 23:33 finish, while junior Meagan Foley crossed the line in 23:44 for a 54^th-place finish.

"We are very grateful that this meet could even happen, after the past few days of historic flooding that tore through many parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions," noted Emerson, himself a 2007 Mount St. Mary's alum. "Our thoughts are with all those hit hard from this storm… We can't thank the grounds crew at Mount St. Mary's University enough for working around the clock, readying the course after the storm, and making sure the event could actually be held."

Also competing was sophomore Jenna Parent (Tyngsboro, Mass.), who took 56^th for her 24:15 time in her collegiate debut. Junior Alexis Collins (Monroe, N.H.) finished in 57^th with a 24:26 time and was followed by sophomore Katie Peterson (Derry, N.H.), who claimed 58^th for her 24:41 finish.

Checking in with a 28:04 time was sophomore Emma Cutter (Newburyport, Mass.) to claim 63^rd. To finish the day for the Ravens was fellow sophomore Kelsey Gregorio (New Boston, N.H.), who took 64^th for her 28:55 time.

The Ravens will be back at it on Saturday, Sept. 11 for the Smith College Invitational in Northampton, Mass.