MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — The No. 12 Washington and Lee University men's cross country team placed fourth in a competitive nine-team field at the Cardinal Invitational, hosted by Wesleyan University on Saturday.
The Generals scored 72 points in the 8K race, finishing just one point behind No. 17 Wesleyan (71) for third place and 10 points behind No. 28 WPI (62) for second. No. 20 Amherst captured the team title with 45 points.
Washington and Lee placed three runners inside the top nine, led by L1
Matt Kelly's fourth-place showing. Junior
Sam Daunt followed in sixth, while senior
Robert Cooper crossed the line ninth. The trio helped W&L put three runners across the line before any other team in the field recorded its third finisher.
The Generals' scoring five averaged 25:14, with a 1:25 spread between their first and fifth finishers.
Washington and Lee returns to Virginia on Friday, Sept. 25, for the JMU Cross Country Invitational, hosted by James Madison University at New Market Battlefield in New Market, Va. The men's race is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
THE BASICS
- Team Finish: 4th of 9 teams
- Team Score: 72 points
- Location: Middletown, Conn.
- Distance: 8K
RACE NOTES
- W&L was one of four nationally ranked programs in the field, joining No. 17 Wesleyan, No. 20 Amherst and No. 28 WPI.
- The Generals finished one point behind Wesleyan for third and 10 points behind WPI for second.
- Kelly led W&L with a fourth-place finish in 24:36.2.
- W&L's top three of Kelly, Daunt and Cooper all finished among the first nine runners, each breaking 25 minutes.
- Just 19.8 seconds separated W&L's top three, while the Generals' scoring five posted a 25:14 average.
- W&L's top seven combined for a 25:34 average.
- Amherst placed all five scoring runners inside the top 14 to claim the team title with 45 points.
TEAM STANDINGS
| Place |
Team |
Points |
| 1st |
No. 20 Amherst |
45 |
| 2nd |
No. 28 WPI |
62 |
| 3rd |
No. 17 Wesleyan |
71 |
| 4th |
No. 12 Washington and Lee |
72 |
| 5th |
Keene State |
132 |
| 6th |
Coast Guard |
157 |
| 7th |
Eastern Connecticut State |
203 |
| 8th |
Ursinus |
217 |
| 9th |
USMMA |
277 |
W&L INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
