No. 2 Ephs place first in two races at Connecticut College Invitational

WATERFORD, Conn. - First-year Estella Laird of the No. 2-ranked Williams College women's cross country team placed first overall out of 345 runners with a career-best time of 22:02.6 during the 6-kilometer White race Saturday at the Connecticut College Invitational, as the Ephs placed first overall as a team during the White and Blue events out of fields of 33 teams at Harkness Memorial State Park.

The Ephs recorded a combined 12 personal records in the two races. During the White race, the squad finished with 20 points, which was good for a 53-point lead over second-place and No. 18 Tufts. Williams swept the top-four spots on the individual side, as sophomore Lily Yampolsky earned runner-up accolades with a time of 22:07.2. Sophomores Clara Gahm (22:13.5) and Hannah Prokup (22:20.6) finished third and fourth, respectively, with career-best times.

Other Ephs who secured personal-best times in the White race were first-year Linnea Cox (22:43.5), first-year Ginger Long (23:04.5), first-year Vivienne Namiot (24:01.5) and sophomore Uma Champe (24:07.2). Sophomore Ella Kirkwood placed 16th overall with a time of 22:56.8, while senior Eliana Zitrin crossed the finish line in a time of 23:34.8. Juniors Mariem Sayahi (25:21.3) and Caitlin Striff-Cave (27:07.1) also competed.

"We have been proud of our depth all year and the student-athletes proved why yet again, running a very strong team race to win convincingly" said head coach Dusty Lopez.

During the 6-kilometer Blue race, the Ephs finished with 73 points, which was 24 ahead of second-place and No. 5 MIT. Junior Morgan Eigel (5th, 21:01.0), senior Charlene Peng (22nd, 21:23.7), senior Fiona Picone (21:36.1), junior Julia Brennan (21:52.0) and junior Hayley Ballard (21:57.2) achieved career-best times out of a field of 261 runners.

Senior Kate Swann (13th, 21:11.4), junior Tamar Byl-Brann (14th, 21:13.3) and junior Jordan Liss-Riordan (19th, 21:21.0) finished in the Ephs' second, third and fourth slots, respectively.

"We had yet another race with a different finish order and showed how that interchangeable lineup is so valuable," said Lopez. "It allows us to run free and we were able to win against a very strong field."

The Ephs will compete in the NESCAC Championship, which will be hosted by Connecticut College on Saturday, Nov. 1, at noon from Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut.