Three runners inside Top 15 for Salve Regina; Seahawks finish second in CCC Championships

WENHAM, Mass. – The Salve Regina women's cross country team placed three runners inside the top 15 on its way to a second-place finish in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship at Gordon College on Saturday.

With high wind and heavy rain in the forecast, the Seahawks braced for a battle with the elements, in addition to their conference foes, at the meet. The weather relented somewhat during the women's race, but steady rain in the morning created slippery spots on the grass, trails and pavement along the 6,000-meter course.

Junior captain Olivia Owen (Weymouth, Mass.) fared the best among the Salve Regina harriers, finishing fourth overall and earning a spot on the All-CCC Team. Owen crossed the finish line at 23:57.

Senior captain Alex Demeo (Burlington, Mass.) and freshman Christina Moran (Oceanside, N.Y.) finished ninth and eleventh to join Owen on the All-CCC Team. The top 15 finishers in the championship race receive all-conference honors.

Freshman Cate Norton (Newtown, Conn.) and sophomore Sydney DeCesare (Johnston, R.I.) rounded out the scoring for Salve Regina, with placements inside the top 30 in the field of 113 runners.

Salve Regina performances included:

4. Olivia Owen – 23:57
9. Alex Demeo – 24:14
11. Christina Moran – 24:17
26. Cate Norton – 25:09
28. Sydney DeCesare – 25:14
39. Cianna Lynch – 26:12
42. Annie Mozzer – 26:22
49. Francesca Moore – 26:44
52. Kat Bruce – 26:47
53. Ashley Schafer – 26:47
61. Molly Kittler – 27:20
66. Meredith Casey – 27:48
78. Aoife Duffy – 28:44
79. Katherine Cassetta – 28:45
81. Rachel Sandri – 28:54
83. Jillian LeBeau – 28:58
90. Maggie McCarthy – 30:14

The University of New England stormed to its seventh consecutive conference championship, placing all five scorers in the top 10 to take the team title with 27 points. Salve Regina finished second with 72; Endicott College was third with 80.

UNE senior Emily Wasina won the individual title – and the CCC Runner of the Year Award – with a time of 22:50. Wasina battled to the finish with Sarah Mawdsley of Roger Williams University, who crossed the line at 22:52. Endicott sophomore Emma Farrington finished third at 23:36.

Salve Regina returns to action in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship at Bowdoin College on Nov. 10.