KERNSTOWN, Va. – The Penn State Altoona women’s cross country team boasted four top-10 finishers en route to the team championship, while the Lion men took runner-up honors at the second-ever Shenandoah University Cross Country Invitational Friday.
Freshman Kim Gueterman (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills Regional) was the top Altoona finisher, clocking a 28:05 that placed her fourth in the 33-competitor race. Classmate Kirsten Luzik (Robinson Township, PA/Montour) was fifth with a time of 28:09, Maggie Lavelle (Hershey, PA/Hershey) ran a 29:15 and finished ninth, and Chesley Meckler (Boiling Springs, PA/Cumberland Valley) concluded the 6k event in 10th place with a 29:27.
Kelley Rager (Reedsville, PA/Indian Valley) was the final Altoona scorer, clocking a 29:51 and finishing 13th to give the squad 41 team points, one better than host Shenandoah. The team championship is just the second in program history with the other coming at the 2005 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships.
The Lion men received strong performances from freshmen Wes Brubaker (Port Trevorton, PA/Selinsgrove) and Robert Kistner (Clifton, VA/Centreville), who finished in fourth and seventh places, respectively. Brubaker clocked a 29:36, Kistner timed a 31:57, and two other Altoona runners, Matt Gorman (West Babylon, NY/St. John the Baptist) and Chris Bradigan (Tyrone) also were top 10 finishers.
Brad Tibbens (Avis, PA/Jersey Shore) was the fifth and final Lion scorer with an 8k time 33:38,
