RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The University of Arizona Women's Cross Country team won the UC Riverside Invitational over 31 teams on Saturday, while the men's team finished sixth.

"The Wildcats had a great day on the course today," said Head Coach Bernard Lagat. "The women's side is coming home with a big win against 31 teams that finished the race. The ladies executed the race plan just like we have been practicing. The victory was a nice reward for the tough month of training we have put together as a team."

Grace Driskill again led the Wildcats in the women's 6000m run, placing 10th overall with a time of 20:35.1. She was followed by Erika Cunniam, who ran a 20:40.9 and placed 14th, and Mia Chavez, who ran a 20:51.5 and placed 21st. Johnnie Mitchell also posted a new PR time of 21:18.0 and Sailor Hutton ran a 21:29.5 to help secure the women's team first place.

The men's squad had two top-15 finishers in the 8000m, with freshmen Ian Sanchez Lopez running a 24:01.1 to place seventh overall, and Iker Sanchez Lopez running a 24:09.6 to finish 15th overall. Cooper Quigley finished third for the team with a time of 24:30.9 and Brennan Foody ran a 24:56.1 to finish fourth. Brandon Bounds also beat his 8000m PR, posting a new personal best of 25:37.5.

"The men's team came away with a solid finish. All our scoring runners were freshmen, and we came away with a sixth place finish among 30 teams in the field," said Lagat. He also added, "The Sanchez twins are slowly getting back into race form since they took some time off after competing intensively late into the summer. We still have some work to do, but I'm very happy with where we are at this point in the season and with so many new faces. We have a very young team and with the guidance of Jeffrey Sillers and Brandon Bounds, we will continue to get stronger."

It was a narrow victory for the women's team as they edged out Cal Poly by only one point to win with a total team score of 140. The men ended with a total team score of 230 to finish sixth overall.
 
NEXT UP
The Wildcats will be back in action at home in the Dave Murray Invitational, on Friday, Sept. 30, in Tucson.
 
Women's 6000m Results
10. Grace Driskill - 20:35.1
14. Erika Cunniam - 20:40.9
21. Mia Chavez - 20:51.5
42. Johnnie Mitchell - 21:18.0
59. Sailor Hutton - 21:29.5
67. Alisa Lyesina - 21:34.8
158. Peyton Heiden - 22:27.2
160. Tenley Hughes - 22:28.0
203. Beatrice Honebrink - 23:04.2
 
Men's 8000m Results
7. Ian Sanchez Lopez - 24:01.1
15. Iker Sanchez Lopez - 24:09.6
46. Cooper Quigley - 24:30.9
83. Brennan Foody - 24:56.1
103. Logan Marek - 25:07.0
145. Jeffrey Sillers - 25:28.2
167. Brandon Bounds - 25:37.5
192. Ayden Schilb - 25:55.9
207. Parker Lehmann - 26:06.4

Women's Team Scores

1. Arizona – 140	9. Grand Canyon – 268	17. The Master's – 448	25. Academy of Art – 675
2. Cal Poly – 141	10. Biola – 289	18. California – 449	26. Sacramento St. – 688
3. Southern Utah – 149	11. CBU – 304	19. Utah Tech – 510	27. USC – 756
4. UC Irvine – 181	12. CMS – 308	20. Arizona State – 534	28. Fresno State – 771
5. UC Santa Barbara – 190	13. UC San Diego – 316	21. Hawaii – 552	29. Fresno Pacific – 799
6. UC Riverside – 236	14. San Diego St. – 353	22. Pomona-Pitzer – 601	30. Pepperdine – 869
7. Long Beach St. – 257	15. CUI – 377	23. UC Santa Cruz – 622	31. CSUN – 879
8. UC Davis - 261	16. Cal St. Fullerton – 403	24. San Diego – 658

Men's Team Scores

1. Cal Poly – 59	9. UC San Diego – 267	17. Biola – 418	25. Pepperdine – 758
2. Southern Utah – 90	10. UC Santa Barbara – 288	18. CUI – 501	26. Sacramento St. – 766
3. UC Riverside – 183	11. CMS – 293	19. Grand Canyon – 518	27. La Verne – 769
4. Pomona-Pitzer – 197	12. Fresno Pacific – 311	20. St. Mary's – 546	28. Occidental – 785
5. UC Irvine – 224	13. UC Santa Cruz – 351	21. Mt. SAC – 574	29. Academy of Art – 888
6. Arizona – 230	14. Long Beach St. – 351	22. San Diego – 631	30. Fresno St. – 896
7. The Master's – 263	15. San Francisco – 372	23. CSUN – 641
8. Arizona State – 264	16. California – 399	24. Utah Tech – 684

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