BRONX, N.Y. The men’s and women’s cross country teams began their 2006 season at the Fordham Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday. The men finished in 16th place, compiling 427 points, and the women came in ninth, with 266 points. Senior Desmond Perkins (Chesapeake, Va.) was the men’s top finisher, coming in 74th with a time of 28:54, and freshman Diane Szaflarksi paced the women’s team, with a 41st place finish and a time of 20:52.
On the women’s side, junior Kerry Cahill (Hillsborough, N.J.) came in 44th place with a time of 20:57, senior Crystal Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.) was 51st, running the course in 21:09, senior Cassidy Powers (Blairstown, N.J.) finished 98th, posting a time of 22:59, and sophomore Jackie Hobbs (Burleson, Texas) had a time of 23:25, finishing in 110th place.
The leading performers on the men’s side were sophomore Pawel Kornaszewski (Providence, R.I.), who came in 82nd with a time of 29:07, junior Patrick O’Neill (Southwick, Mass.) who finished the course in 31:21, placing 133rd, freshman Patrick McGovern, with a 135th place finish and a time of 31:24, and junior Greg Gomes (Somerset, N.J.) was 162nd, with a time of 33:57.
The Pirates return to action next Saturday, Sept. 15, when they will travel to Holmdel, N.J. for the Monmouth Invitational.
