KEENE, N.H. - The Ephs earned a fourth straight win on Saturday at the Keene State Invitational, as the Williams College women's cross-country team put down a dominant and fast performance to finish first out of 26 competing teams.
Williams had the first four runners across the line, and seven finishers in the top 11, as the Ephs earned a team score of 18, well ahead of second-place Tufts (60). Fellow NESCAC competitor Colby was third at 122.
"We accomplished our team goals today," said Head Coach Dusty Lopez. "All week, we focused on being assertive early in the race and the group did that well. The women continue to look very deep and strong, and the men made a great statement by coming back to beat Tufts, an excellent team that got the better of us two weeks ago. Both teams are set up well for this point in the season."
Junior Tamar Byl-Brann won the race with a time of 21:13 in the 6k, 15 seconds ahead of teammate Morgan Eigel. Charlene Peng and Kate Tuttle were third and fourth, and Julia Brennan closed out the Ephs' top five in seventh overall. Eigel and Brennan set personal bests, and Peng tied her top mark.
Outside of the top five, a number of other Ephs were able to set PRs, taking advantage of the fast, flat course and the good racing conditions. Sophomores Clara Gahm, Hannah Prokup, and Uma Champe, and first-years Ginger Long, Estella Laird, Linnea Cox and Vivienne Namiot all set new best marks for themselves.
Williams will be back at it again next weekend at the James Earley Invitational in Westfield, Mass., before previewing the NESCAC Championship course in Waterford, Conn., at the Connecticut College Invitational on October 18.
