Bobcats Women Sweep, MSU Men Split at Montana Invitational

Friday, September 30

Missoula, MT

10:30 a.m. (W), 11:15 a.m. (M)

Montana State University

Montana Invitational

Bobcats Women Sweep, MSU Men Split at Montana Invitational

9/30/2016 2:07:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Cross Country

Overall Finish List MSU-UM Results (Women)MSU-Gonzaga Results (Women)MSU-UM Results (Men)MSU-Gonzaga Results (Men)

Improvement is seen on both the men's and women's teams as Bobcats have solid showing in Missoula

By: Andrew Pedersen

MISSOULA, Montana – The Montana State women's cross country team swept Gonzaga and Montana, while the Bobcats' men's squad topped Montana but fell to Gonzaga in double dual action Friday, Sept. 30, at the Montana Invitational.

The MSU women's team and the Grizzlies tied at 28 at the conclusion of the six-kilometer race on the University of Montana Golf Course, but MSU's No. 1, 4 and 5 finishers topped Montana's on the overall finish list to break the tiebreaker. MSU also defeated Gonzaga 28-29.

Sophomore Alyssa Snyder led the way for the Bobcats by finishing runner-up with a time of 21 minutes, 52.10 seconds. Four more Bobcats finished in the top 10 to pace MSU to the first-place showing.

Freshman Madison Liechty took fifth in 22.47.51, sophomore Layne Oliver placed eighth in 22:47.45 and sophomore Kelsi Lasota ended up 10th in 22:55.65 for the women's squad. Junior Louisa Serpe rounded out MSU's scoring lineup by finishing 17th with a time of 23:28.28. Freshman Kimberly Parsell (23:25.32) and freshman Sierra Tucker (23:57.93) followed in the Bobcats' top seven by placing 18th and 25th overall, respectively.

"Alyssa was solid again, we always know what we're going to get from her," MSU cross country coach Lyle Weese said. "She's really consistent and works so hard. Madison, Layne and Kelsi did a great job of matching the University of Montana runners. Even though they had three runners in before our second runner, just that pack of three, then our 4-5-6 runners are the reason why we were able to pull out the team victory (against Montana) on the women's side."

Other finishers for the Bobcats included Kendra Larson (24:11.24), Rychelle Denardo (24:28.35) and McKenna Ramsay (24:56.35).

Gonzaga's Jordan Thurston placed first on the women's side with a mark of 21:09.29.

The 11th ranked West Region Gonzaga Bulldogs won the men's 8K double dual by outscoring the Bobcats 23-35. MSU had all five runners that score top Montana in a 15-49 edge for the split.

The MSU men's team was led by sophomore Tyler Mogan and senior Zachary Kughn. Mogan finished a team-high second with a 25:37.12 showing and Kughn followed him in third with a time of 25:49.64. Unattached runner Troy Fraley had the top time of the meet in 24:55.55.

"Ty was very consistent, he had a race that was really similar to the MSU Invite which was pretty outstanding," Weese said. "Zach Kughn really broke through. He ran well at the MSU Invite but today he ran even better. He's a fifth year senior and I would say that that is the best cross country race I've ever seen him run at MSU. It was great to see him have a great race like that."

Three more Bobcats came in behind them crossing the finish line consecutively.

After previously running unattached, freshman Isaac Barville placed 12th in 26:26.69. He was followed by senior Adam Wollant in 13th (26:31.01) and sophomore Noah Kirkland in 14th (26:34.18) to round out MSU's scoring lineup. Behind them in the top seven included sophomore Anthony Schmalz (26:43.35) and senior Shawn Peden (26:55.51).

"Overall, everyone beyond our top two really, improved in our top seven and moved up a little bit," Weese said. "We definitely saw progress since that first meet."

Other finishers for the Bobcats' men's squad included Cameron Carroll (27:10.51), Gannon Chamberlain (27:10.60), Martin Ponce (28:43.58) and Andrew Vandine (30:21.64).

The Bobcats continue the cross country season by heading to the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana, the site of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.