Rogers and Team Takes Third at James Earley Invitational

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Both Worcester State University's team and junior runner Mia Rogers (North Dighton, Mass.) took third place at the James Earley cross country Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 7), as Rogers marked the best performance of a Worcester State runner on the Stanely Park course with a time of 18:36.53.

THE BASICS
October 7, 2017
22^nd Annual James Earley Invitational
Stanley Park

TOP-10 TEAM SCORES
1^st Place: Trinity (56)
2^nd Place: University of New England (136)
3^rd Place: Worcester State (174)
4^th Place: Westfield State (181)
5^th Place: Smith (194)
6^th Place: Gordon (251)
7^th Place: Williams (257)
8^th Place: Plymouth State (257)
9^th Place: Norwich (332)
10^th Place: St. Anslem (333)

WORCESTER STATE TOP-7
3^rd Place: Mia Rogers (18:36.53)
33^rd Place: Elisabeth Olson (19:47.54)
43^rd Place: Julia Carrier (19:57.84)
49^th Place: Justine Murdocca (20:06. 38)
53^rd Place: Kelsey Bedard (20:12.63)
79^th Place: Riley Shaughnessy(20:39.02)
103^rd Place: Shaylee Puleo (20:55.68)

RECAP

The James Earley Invitational individual winner was Abby Shafer of New England College who finished the 5K course in a time of 18:08.57. Westfield State's Jess Cardin followed at 2^nd place with a time of 18:36.53 and Rogers came behind her at 3^rd place with a school record time of 18:36.53 on the course. Her 18:36.53 is both a 47-second personal best and the fastest time ever recorded by a Worcester State runner over the 3.1 mile (5k) Stanley Park course.  The previous Worcester State school and course record was Olivia Patch's 18:46 set in 2004.

The next Lancer runner was sophomore Elisabeth Olson (Wilmington, Mass.) who marked a 19:47.54 time for a 4-second personal record. Julia Carrier (Oxford, Mass.), Justine Murdocca (Milford, Mass.), and Kelsey Bedard (Leominster, Mass.) followed as they headed off a strong push by four Westfield runners that secured the win for Worcester State. Riley Shaughnessy (New Bedford, Mass.) and Shaylee Puleo (Tewksbury, Mass.) wrapped up the top-7 at the 79^th and 103^rd spots, respectively, of 257 runners at the meet.  

The team took third place of 33 teams at the meet.

COACHES CORNER

Head coach Gary Jusseaume commented on Rogers' performance, "Mia ran an outstanding race today. Her focus on her training the last two weeks has been superb.  Coupled with her concentration on running a tactically sound race today, she proved a worthy opponent in a field of celebrated runners, especially those from Trinity College."

"Justine ran a one minute, forty-one second personal best on this course today in what is her best race performance of the season.  In addition, Kelsey Bedard's thirty-second PR was also a welcomed surprise.  Both runners are primed to run sub-twenty minute times at the MASCAC Conference meet."

"We knew going into this meet that despite the large field of teams and competitors, the rivalry between Worcester and Westfield would be particularly intense - And it was. We were as prepared both in training and competitive focus for this meet and the intensity Westfield was sure bring upon us.  It was their meet, on their course, and they are tough to beat at Stanley Park."

UP NEXT
Next Saturday (Oct. 14) the Lancers travel to Harkness Park in New London, Conn. to take part in the Connecticut College Invitational.

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