Nine runners from the women's cross country team competed in the New England Championships in Westfield, Mass., on Sunday, finishing 14th in a field of 37 teams with 416 points. Boston College's squad took home the gold with 45 points.
The team's fastest runners did not race this weekend as they prepare for next weekend's Adidas Invitational at the University of Wisconsin, said Mitchell Baker, head coach of the women's cross country team.
"We'll be a little conservative and try to make sure our overall training volume is consistent, but the intensity is relatively mild," Baker said.
Victoria O'Neil '16 led the Bears and finished the five-kilometer course 44th overall in 18 minutes, 20 seconds.
"I personally really enjoyed the race," O'Neil said. "I thought it went really well, and I felt really good."
O'Neil was followed by Elizabeth Ryan '13, who clocked a time of 18:26 and snagged 53rd place overall. Kat Grimes '14 and Tess Plant-Thomas '13 crossed the finish line in quick succession with times of 18:56 and 18:59, respectively. Kate Buss '16 finished eight seconds behind Plant-Thomas and scored last for Bruno.
"As a team, I think we all felt pretty good about the performances," O'Neil said.
For those runners who will not compete at the Adidas Invitational, the home meet Oct. 19 will be the next opportunity to race.
