Women Win, Men Fall At Binghamton
Men's Results ǀ Women's Results
VESTAL, N.Y. – The University at Albany cross country program opened the 2014 season Friday with a dual meet at Binghamton, the same course the team opened the season a year ago. The women defeated the Bearcats in the early race 22-33, while the men fell in the late race 20-37.
UAlbany athletes managed to claim individual victory in both races, however, with Molly Pezzulo winning the women's 5K race in 18:49.0, while Christopher Buchanan took the men's 8K race in 26:16.6. The women's race fielded 13 competitors and the men's race fielded 28.
Behind Pezzulo, UAlbany swept the top three places in the women's race. Valentina Talevi placed second in 19:24.9, and Jessica Donohue was third in 20:01.9. Other UAlbany scoring athletes included Colleen Maloney, who placed sixth in 20:22.0, and Schuyler Pruyn, who was 10th in 21:02.2. Rounding out UAlbany competitors was Kasia Geiger, who placed 13th in 22:21.2. Expected UAlbany top runner Silvia Del Fava did not compete, nursing a minor injury.
In the men's race, Binghamton swept the five places immediately behind Buchanan. The next UAlbany athlete to finish was Kyle Gronostaj, who placed seventh in 26:36.0. James Sommer finished eighth in 26:37.1, and Tyler Ranke finished ninth in 26:38.2. UAlbany's final scoring athlete was Peter Schweitzer, who placed 13th in 27:13.3. Other athletes competing for the Danes were Jonathan Moore, who finished 14th in 27:16.1, Austin Lane, who finished 17th in 27:24.1, John DeLallo, who finished 18th in 27:26.2, Jordan Healy, who finished 20th in 27:44.7, Raymond Farinella, who finished 23rd in 28:31.6, Alex Christensen, who finished 24th in 28:44.8, Keith Machabee, who finished 26th in 29:41.8, and Simon Nwana, who finished 27th in 31:17.0.
Individually, for those who competed at Binghamton last season, and collectively, head coach Matt Jones will be able to use the performances from today's races as a comparison to where the athletes and the teams were a year ago and where they are now, due to competing on the same course. With the team not traveling to the Pre-Conference Meet this season, Jones chose to open at Binghamton for purposes of having that comparison available to him.
Next up for UAlbany is the Iona Meet of Champions on Saturday, September 20 at Van Cortlandt Park.
