Veterans lead Seahawks into CCC Championship
Summary: Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's cross country championships
Event date, time and site: Sat., Oct. 31, 2015; 12 p.m. at Colt State Park (Bristol, R.I.)
Directions: http://bit.ly/1PPZOyQ
Free shuttle from campus: Salve Regina provides free transportation to Colt State Park for students with ID; Ocean State Transit bus departs Rodgers Recreation Center at 11 a.m., and returns at 2:30 p.m.
Follow the Seahawks on Twitter @SalveAthletics
NEWPORT, R.I. – Salve Regina looks to its upperclassmen to lead the charge in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship at Colt State Park on Saturday. Of the 10 Seahawks who have scored in invitational meets this fall, four are seniors and four are juniors.
While team has no shortage of leadership or experience, the meet will mark the first race of 2015 that has included the entire varsity lineup. Junior Amy Irving (Bohemia, N.Y.) will make her third appearance of the fall, backed by senior captain Shannon Holden (Hingham, Mass.), who has run at No. 1 in four of six meets this season.
"Amy and Shannon have been excellent in the top spot. They lead in different ways, but they're both effective. The team looked to Amy for some moments of brilliance at UMass-Dartmouth and Connecticut College, and, if our all-time performance list is any indication, she delivered," said head coach Rob McGuinness. "Shannon has been steady all season. Week after week, she's right where we need her to be. There's a lot to be said for consistency. She's just dependable."
The Seahawks have been virtually interchangeable in the third through seventh spots, with senior captain Aubrey Palmquist (Bristol, Conn.), junior captain Victoria Varone (Providence, R.I.), senior Joelle Ross (Simsbury, Conn.) and junior Taylor Ricker (Rocky Point, N.Y.) scoring in multiple meets. Sophomore Olivia Wilson (Bethel, Conn.), senior captain Jackie Ofria (Manchester, Conn.) and freshman Alex Demeo (Burlington, Mass.) have also factored into the scoring, while varsity regulars Alannah O'Rourke (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and Alexa Cipkas (Granby, Conn.) are poised to contribute.
"We're fortunate to have a veteran team, and we can go well into our second seven and still get the job done," McGuinness said. "That works to our advantage in a meet like this one, especially when there are so many competitive programs vying for the title."
The University of New England – winner of the last three CCC championships – enters the meet as the heavy favorite. The Nor'easters have been on a tear this fall, racking up wins at the Shacklette Invitational, UNE Invitational, Pop Crowell Invitational and the James Earley Invitational. UNE is led by juniors Brittney Sorbello and Tiana Thomas, who have consistently averaged sub-19:00 performances at 5K throughout the season. Sophomores Emma Robidoux and Amanda MacDonald have been among the regulars on a deep, talented team.
"UNE is – without a doubt – the team to beat. They're incredibly strong. They were dominant against CCC teams in their home meet, at Gordon and again at Westfield State," McGuinness said. "I expect that we'll see the Nor'easters at their best on Saturday."
The Seahawks have seen plenty of in-state rival Roger Williams University, racing against the Hawks on opening day (at Roger Williams), at UMass-Dartmouth, at CCRI and again at Connecticut College. Sophomores Jackie Applin, Brianna Hoffner and Makayla D'Urso have consistently led the scoring for the Hawks this fall.
Endicott College and Gordon College also figure among the teams in the competitive mix. Endicott boasts two freshmen at the head of its pack – Abigail Keim and Sam Pearl – who have led the Gulls to some much-improved invitational finishes this season. Meanwhile, junior Emily Nelson and senior Mariah Geiger have been setting the pace at Gordon, and the Scots are hot off of a second place finish at the Western New England Invitational.
"This will be an interesting race. It's tough to project second, third and fourth place in the team scoring, and it is even more difficult to project the all-CCC team," McGuinness said. "But we'll be up there. We've done good work this fall, and we're prepared for this meet. We'll give it our best effort."
The 6,000-meter women's championship race starts at noon on Saturday.
# # #
Courtesy of Rob McGuinness
