BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Haverford College women's cross country team recorded its second straight team victory Friday afternoon at Lehigh University's Paul Short Run. Competing in the White Race, the No. 25 Fords placed four runners inside the top 15 finishers in a field of 328 runners.
The Fords scored 66 points for the meet, topping runner-up Misericordia by 10 placement points. Misericordia came into the weekend right behind the Fords with the fifth position in the regional rankings and holding the No. 31 slot in the national poll. Centennial Conference foes Muhlenberg (143 points) and Gettysburg (168 points) finished third and fourth in the team standings.
Despite running on a muddy course that had seen seven races contested before the Fords took to the starting line, three of Haverford's top four finishers ran personal bests for their respective careers. For the first time in her career, Amelia Keyser-Gibson led the Fords to the finish line with a third place showing in a time of 22:25. That time was a 50 second improvement from her personal best set just last week.
Maggie Heffernan and Katie Sullivan were just behind their teammate in the sixth and seventh positions. Heffernan's sixth place showing in a time of 22:41 was just nine seconds off the senior's career personal best. Sullivan was just behind her in a time of 22:42 for seventh place. Sullivan's personal best time cut 19 seconds from her previous best which she also set just a week ago.
Nicole Giannetti and MaryKate Cavanaugh rounded out the Fords' top five finishers. Giannetti was the third Haverford runner to break her previous personal best. Cutting 17 seconds off of the previous PR which was set a week ago, Giannetti placed 15th overall in a time of 23:01. Cavanaugh finished 37th overall with a mark of 23:46. Her time was just eight seconds off her personal best which she set at this meet a season ago.
Sarah Wade (24:34) and Caroline Henry (24:50) rounded out Haverford's top seven with their showings of 73rd and 91st place, respectively. Sophia Drew (25:02), Allison Hacker (25:39), and Alison Love (25:59) rounded out the Fords' 10 finishers for the afternoon. Drew just missed the top 100 with a placement of 103rd, while Hacker and Love where 135th and 149th overall.
After running three consecutive weeks, women's cross country will get a much needed and deserved week away from competition. Haverford will look to carry its building momentum into the Rowan Inter-Regional that is set to take place on Saturday, October 17.