By Molly Burnell, Sports Information Assistant

September 3, 2004

The Bluffton University men's and women's Cross Country team started their season with the Tiffin University Invitational.  As a team the men finished seventh in the 4K race.  The women's team tallied eighth place in the 4K field and fifth place in the 6K race. 

Leading the men on the afternoon in the 4K competition was a group of four first year runners.  Tyler Fairchild (Toledo/Whitmer) finished first for the team in 33rd place.  Hillary Shilasio (Eldoret, Kenya) placed 37th, Mike Koch (Liberty Center/Liberty Center) finished in 41st place and Jeremy Rowe (Plymouth/Plymouth) contributed a 43rd place finish.  In the 8K race two men finished for the Beavers, Dave Espinoza (Toledo/Whitmer) in 33rd place and Patrick Cooley (Ludlow Falls/Milton Union) in 71st place. 

Sarah Humphrey (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) posted the best results for the women's team with a tenth place finish in the 6K.  Also in the 6K Lauren Borga (New Philadelphia/New Philadelphia) placed 22nd, and Jennifer Creamer (Westerville/Westerville South) finished in 26th place.  In the 4K race Stephanie Welch ( Berne , Ind. /South Adams) posted a 44th place finish, and Lindsay Bryant (Liberty Center/Liberty Center) added 46th  place to the score.

The Bluffton University men's and women's Cross Country teams will be back in action Saturday September 11, 2004 at the Otterbein Alumni Meet in Columbus , Ohio.

-BEAVERS-