Seahawks take first place at Tri-State Invitational
LINCOLN, R.I. – Salve Regina claimed the first four spots overall and placed all five scorers inside the top 15 to win the Tri-State Invitational at the Community College of Rhode Island on Saturday.
Senior Victoria Varone (Providence, R.I.) again led the charge for the Seahawks, winning the race outright in 20:21.94. It was the first individual victory of the captain's collegiate career. Varone moved into the lead in the opening mile, taking control in spite of wet and muddy conditions on the 5,080-meter grass-and-trail course.
When the leaders emerged from the woods after the opening loop, Varone was first, with senior Taylor Ricker (Rocky Point, N.Y.) and freshman Cianna Lynch (Cranston, R.I.) in pursuit. Sophomore Alex Demeo (Burlington, Mass.) was not far behind, mixed in with the first three runners from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Varone split two miles at 12:38, with Lynch and Ricker 12 seconds behind, and Demeo another 12 seconds back. That order would hold until the final loop, when Demeo closed on Ricker and overtook her teammate in the final 800 meters of the course.
While the 1-2-3-4 finish positioned the Seahawks for the win, the Warriors of Eastern Connecticut battled to the finish, with their scorers placing 5-7-8-9-10. Freshman Olivia Owen (Weymouth, Mass.) closed out the scoring – and the victory – when she crossed the finish line in 13th place. Junior Alexa Cipkas (Granby, Conn.) and freshman Rachel Sandri (Marlboro, N.Y.) ran at No. 6 and No. 7 for Salve Regina.
"Victoria ran like a champion today, and she earned the win. Cianna, Alex and Taylor maneuvered well, too. Given the weather and the course conditions, this race was about tactics, not about the clock. We executed well," said head coach Rob McGuinness. "And with a few of our varsity regulars not racing this week, Liv and Rachel had an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution. They were up to the challenge."
The Seahawks captured the team title with a score of 23. Eastern Connecticut was second with 39 points, and Johnson & Wales finished third with 107. There were eight scoring teams and 68 runners in the field.
The invitational victory is the first for Salve Regina since 2014, and it marks the second time in the last three years that the Seahawks have won the Tri-State Invitational at CCRI. The team's score of 23 is the program's lowest winning tally in recent memory, eclipsing a winning score of 24 at New England College in 2014.
Salve Regina performances included:
1. Victoria Varone (Providence, R.I.) – 20:21.94
2. Cianna Lynch (Cranston, R.I.) – 20:52.64
3. Alex Demeo (Burlington, Mass.) – 21:01.91
4. Taylor Ricker (Rocky Point, N.Y) – 21:06.13
13. Olivia Owen (Weymouth, Mass.) – 22:08.76
14. Alexa Cipkas (Granby, Conn.) – 22:12.72
17. Rachel Sandri (Marlboro, N.Y.) – 22:37.82
19. Jessica Graham (Lowell, Mass.) – 22:55.58
26. Hannah Lussier (Belchertown, Mass.) – 23:15.33
28. Ashley Schafer (Manorville, N.Y.) – 23:28.21
29. Finn Collins (Eliot, Maine) – 23:37.29
33. Nicole Schafter (Manorville, N.Y.) – 23:53.91
34. Molly Kittler (Pittsfield, Mass.) – 23:57.37
42. Caroline Kelley (Norfolk, Mass.) – 25:03.56
43. Tatiana Mehos (Ridgewood, N.J.) – 25:05.24
45. Mabelitza Guzman (Waterbury, Conn.) – 25:34.59
The Seahawks return to action on October 15 at the Connecticut College Invitational.
Results:
http://coolrunning.com/results/16/ri/Oct1_TriSta_set1.shtml
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Courtesy of Rob McGuinness
