Men's Cross Country Wins Lehigh Invitational

Friday, September 1

Bethlehem, PA

5:30 PM

Rutgers University

Lehigh Invitational

Sophomore Nick Pschunder placed second overall, just two-tenths of a second behind the champion.

Sep 01 | Men's Cross Country

Full Results

One-point victory paced by five Top 10 finishes

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Sept. 1, 2017) – Rutgers men's cross country started the 2017 season on a winning note Friday evening by claiming the Lehigh Invitational by the slimmest of margins, using five Top 10 finishes to edge the host Mountain Hawks by a single point.

The Scarlet Knights finished 2-5-7-8-9 for a total of 31 points and an average time of 18:51 on the 6,000-meter course on Lehigh's Goodman Campus. Lehigh, who had the individual champion in senior Patrick Reilly, finished with 32 points on their 1-3-6-10-12 finish and an average time of 18:52.

While Rutgers just barely eked out the invitational title, Lehigh's Reilly just barely won the individual race. Rutgers sophomore Cole Pschunder was first across for the Scarlet Knights in 18:38.20, and second overall by merely two-tenths of a second.

"It was a good start for us," said head coach Mike Mulqueen. "We have only had two hard workouts in the preseason, so having our time spread out over 29 seconds was very good. The guys should be encouraged about how we ran tonight."

The Scarlet-clad pack stuck together up front to set the pace and work toward a high team finish. The strategy paid off as RU was able to sustain and place all five of their point scorers in the Top 10. Junior Conor Murphy was next across the line in fifth place with a time of 18:51.82. Centimeters behind, senior Luke Wiley placed seventh in 18:51.98, the first of three straight point-scoring Scarlet Knights.

Junior Dom Munson was eighth in 18:54.94 and freshman Patrick Walsh made his collegiate cross country debut with a Top 10 finish in 18:57.35, good for ninth overall.

Freshman Genaro Anzalone also made a collegiate debut in impressive fashion, turning in an 11^th place finish in 19:04.92. Senior Alexander Livernois rounded out the Rutgers finishers with a 14^th place time of 19:07.83.

Team Results
1. Rutgers - 31
2. Lehigh - 32
3. La Salle - 91
4. NJIT - 96
5. Fairleigh Dickinson - 149

Rutgers Results
2. Cole Pschunder - 18:38.20
5. Conor Murphy - 18:51.82
7. Luke Wiley - 18:51.98
8. Dom Munson - 18:54.94
9. Patrick Walsh - 18:57.35
11. Genaro Anzalone - 19:04.92
15. Alexander Livernois - 19:07.83

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's cross country, follow the program on Twitter (@Rutgers_MensTF). The team is also on Facebook (facebook.com/ RutgersMensTF/).

- RU -