Oct. 31, 2009

CARY, N.C. - Led by Kristin Reed and Alex Lundy, the University of Maryland women's and men's cross country teams each posted a seventh-place team finish Saturday at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships held at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The seventh by the Terrapin women matched their best finish since 1990. Maryland has had three seventh-place finishes since 1990, but Saturday's was its first since the league expanded to 12 teams.

The Maryland men were just behind their tie for sixth last year in the team standings, but the Terps are continuing their upward trend in finishes in the past few years. Maryland also was as high as seventh only three times in the last 18 seasons prior to its T-6th last year.

On the men's side, Lundy finished 17th overall, just missing the top-14 finish needed to earn All-ACC honors. The Terrapin junior went 24:11.2 over the 8-kilometer course.

Maryland's scorers included Kyle Gaffney (43rd, 25:00.6), Ben Diestel (50th, 25:10.3), Mike Cator (67th, 25:32.5) and Greg Jubb (71st, 25:38.1). Jubb was the first of three Terps who finished in a pack, with Kevin Gahr in 72nd (25:40.4) and Drew Abernathy in 73rd (25:41.3) earning the sixth and seventh spots.

Dan Fishbein (93rd, 26:26.0) and Craig Morgan (101st, 27:07.6) each ran for the first time in the ACC Championships for the Terps.

NC State pulled an upset to win the team championship with 56 points. Virginia (71), Florida State (72) and Duke (74) had a pitched battle for second place. The Terrapins finished with 219 points, well ahead of Georgia Tech (239) and Wake Forest (281).

Virginia took the 1-2 spots in the individual standings, with Emil Heineking finishing first in 23:15.5, two seconds ahead of teammate Ryan Collins. NC State had three finishers in the top eight and all five scorers in the top 22 to take the title.

In the women's race, Reed finished 27th individually to pace the Terrapins. She covered the 6-kilometer course in 21:21.5. Christina Nelson was 41st for the Terps in 21:48.5, Angeli Sivaraman placed 43rd in 21:51.7, Erin Matyus was 44th in 21:55.4 and Ashley Campbell was the fifth scorer in 52nd at 22:08.2.

Andrea Rothschild was 61st (22:24.2) and Halsey Sinclair placed 67th (22:31.1) as Maryland's sixth and seventh finishers. Lindsay Ritchings (71st, 22:39.2), Ashley Cromartie (76th, 22:55.7) and Julie Fricke (78th, 22:59.8) also ran well.

As a team, the Terrapin women finished with 192 points, ahead of Wake Forest (204) and Clemson (221), but behind Boston College, which was sixth with 144 points.

Paced by individual champion Susan Kuijken, Florida State won the women's team title with 37 points. The Seminoles placed five runners in the top 14 and had three finishers among the top six. Duke was second with 71 points, with Virginia in third at 84.

Kuijken finished in 19:39.3, more than 16 seconds ahead of Virginia's Catherine White.

Maryland competes next in two weeks at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals, to be held in Princess Anne, Md., and hosted by Maryland-Eastern Shore.

WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. Florida State 37; 2. Duke 71; 3. Virginia 84; 4. NC State 109; 5. North Carolina 137; 6. Boston College 144; 7. MARYLAND 192; 8. Wake Forest 204; 9. Clemson 221; 10. Virginia Tech 284; 11. Georgia Tech 312; 12. Miami 380.

WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL FINISHERS (Top three and Maryland finishers)
1. Susan Kuijken, Florida State, 19:39.3; 2. Catherine White, Virginia, 19:55.9; 3.Pilar McShine, Florida State, 20:06.4... 27. Kristin Reed, Maryland, 21:21.5; 41. Christina Nelson, Maryland, 21:48.5; 43. Angeli Sivaraman, Maryland, 21:51.7; 44. Erin Matyus, Maryland, 21:55.4; 52. Ashley Campbell, Maryland, 22:08.2; 61. Andrea Rothschild, Maryland, 22:24.2; 67. Halsey Sinclair, Maryland, 22:31.1; 71. Lindsay Ritchings, Maryland, 22:39.2; 76. Ashley Cromartie, Maryland, 22:55.7; 78. Julie Fricke, Maryland, 22:59.8.

MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. NC State 56; 2. Virginia 71; 3. Florida State 72; 4. Duke 74; 5. Virginia Tech 122; 6. North Carolina 138; 7. MARYLAND 219; 8. Georgia Tech 239; 9. Wake Forest 281; 10. Boston College 287; 11. Clemson 293; 12. Miami 395.

MEN'S INDIVIDUAL FINISHERS (Top three and Maryland finishers)
1. Emil Heineking, Virginia, 23:15.5; 2. Ryan Collins, Virginia, 23:17.8; 3. John Martinez, NC State, 23:25.6... 17. Alex Lundy, Maryland, 24:11.2; 43. Kyle Gaffney, Maryland, 25:00.6; 50. Ben Diestel, Maryland, 25:10.3; 67. Mike Cator, Maryland, 25:32.5; 71. Greg Jubb, Maryland, 25:38.1; 72. Kevin Gahr, Maryland, 25:40.4; 73. Drew Abernathy, Maryland, 25:41.3; 93. Dan Fishbein, Maryland, 26:26.0; 101. Craig Morgan, Maryland, 27:07.6.