ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, October 27, 2007

Elizabethtown Captures MAC Women's Cross Country Championship, Erin Fisher Defends Individual Title

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. --- Wet, sloppy conditions did little to deter the Elizabethtown College women's cross country team from a dominating performance en route to capturing the Middle Atlantic Conference team championship on the campus of Delaware Valley College on Saturday morning.

Erin Fisher receives her MAC championship plaque from MAC Executive Director Ken Andrews

Senior Erin Fisher (McEwensville, PA/Warrior Run) won her second consecutive MAC individual title as the Blue Jays claimed four of the top five finishers and scored 32 points to wrest the team crown away from two-time defending champion Messiah College, which totaled 48 points to place second.

It is the second MAC team championship for the Blue Jays and first since 2004, while head coach Chris Straub was honored by his peers as MAC Coach of the Year and Fisher was selected Runner of the Year for the second straight season.

Fisher traversed the 6,000-meter course in 22:33.66 to claim the individual title by a whopping 1:13 over runner-up Jennifer Kooser of Messiah. Junior Tiffany Kulp (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) finished third in 24:46.31, sophomore Megan VanDenHengel (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) was fourth at 24:52.63 and first-year student Kristen O'Brien (Westminster, MD/Winters Mills) was fifth in 24:53.94.

Junior Amanda Daws (Thorofare, NJ/West Deptford) was the fifth and final scoring runner for Elizabethtown, crossing in 19th place at 26:06.12. Sophomore Sarah Merusi (Montague, NJ/Port Jervis, NY) took 25th in 26:20.95 and senior Sarah Grove (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin East) was 26th in 26:22.65.

Among other Blue Jay runners, senior Meghan Ryder (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) was 31st in 26:42.20, first-year student Teresa Beshore (New Cumberland, PA/Red Land) took 35th in 27:10.93, first-year student Alex Walmer (Hershey, PA/Hershey) placed 36th in 27:11.59, first-year student Kristen Bowen (West Chester, PA/Downingtown West) was 46th in 28:05.80 and sophomore Sarah Lanphier (York, PA/Central York) finished 53rd in 29:08.85.

Rounding out the top five in the team standings were DeSales University (113), Delaware Valley (126) and Albright College (136). Kooser was honored as Rookie of the Year for her second-place finish.

Middle Atlantic Conference
Women's Cross Country Championships
at Delaware Valley College - 6,000 meters

Team Results: 1. Elizabethtown 32; 2. Messiah 48; 3. DeSales 113; 4. Delaware Valley 126; 5. Albright 136; 6. King's 155; 7. Widener 187; 8. Lebanon Valley 226; 9. Manhattanville 243; 10. FDU-Florham 259; 11. Lycoming 283.

Individual Results (top 5 plus Elizabethtown): 1. Erin Fisher (Etown) 22:33.66; 2. Jennifer Kooser (Messiah) 23:46.88; 3. Tiffany Kulp (Etown) 24:46.31; 4. Megan VanDenHengel (Etown) 24:52.63; 5. Kristen O'Brien (Etown) 24:53.94; 19. Amanda Daws 26:06.12; 25. Sarah Merusi 26:20.95; 26. Sarah Grove 26:22.65; 31. Meghan Ryder 26:42.20; 35. Teresa Beshore 27:10.93; 36. Alex Walmer 27:11.59; 46. Kristen Bowen 28:05.80; 53. Sarah Lanphier 29:08.85.