After competing in the hilly terrain and cool air of the Westmont Invitational a week ago, Westmont Men’s and Women’s Cross Country competed on the flat course and in the heat of the Cal State Bakersfield Invitational on Saturday. Not only were the conditions a contrast, but so was the competition as the Warriors battled with Division I schools.
In the women’s 5,000 meters, the Warriors placed three runners in the top 10 and took second place by scoring 48 points. Pepperdine won the event with 21 points while Cal State Bakersfield took third with 72 points. Fresno State finished last with 96 points.
Pepperdine’s Chelsea Wishard (17:45) and Lauren Lodge (17:54) finished first and second but Westmont freshman Danica Rosendale claimed third place with a time of 18:18. Junior Chrissa Trudell claimed eighth place for the Warriors in a time of 18:32 and while sophomore Kate Stuart finished tenth in 18:40. Sophomore Caitlyn Corraro (18:55) and junior Katie Fritzke (19:28) closed out the top five for the Warriors, finishing in twelfth and fifteenth place respectively.
The field in the men’s race was smaller with Pepperdine and Westmont providing the only collegiate teams. A running club named Team Lightning also competed. Pepperdine edged out Westmont 29-31 to win the race. Team Lightning finished with 71 points.
Westmont junior Nathan Kemp won the 8,000 meter race in a time of 24:57 while freshman teammate Jake Jeanson took second in a time of 25:01. Junior Jacob Goodin placed seventh in a time of 25:48 and freshman Matthew Day completed the course in 26:12 to notch a ninth place finish. Sophomore Garrison Gourdeau placed twelfth in a time of 26:34.
The Warriors will take next weekend off before competing in the Vanguard Invitational in Costa Mesa on Saturday October 10.
