Westfield State University's women's cross country team won the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title for the third straight year, highlighted by sophomore Shea Hamel's (Longmeadow, Mass.) second-place individual finish.
The Owls placed nine runners in the top 16 of the race to finish with 34 points, eight fewer than second place Bridgewater State. Each team's top five runners score, and the top seven displace opponents in the scoring.
"We had a goal to get as many in the top 10 as we could," said head coach Marlee Berg-Haryasz.
"We have good depth, and they really compete with and support each other. We had a goal to defend the title," said Berg-Haryasz, "but at the same time we're working towards the regional meet that we get to host at Stanley Park in two weeks."
Hamel ran 19:32.65 on the 5,000-meter course on a perfect indian summer day with sunny skies and temperatures approaching 80 degrees, 22 seconds behind individual champion Naomi Cass of Bridgewater State.
Junior Ariann LeCours (Haverhill Mass.) was sixth (20:24.22), junior Molly Kennedy (West Springfield, Mass.) seventh (20:43.01), and sophomore Julianne Kelly (Natick, Mass.) ninth (20:50.02) for the Owls
Sophomore Eliza Lee (Walpole, Mass.), primarily a triple jumper and a 400-meter runner in the track season for the Owls was 10th in 21:10.27 to round out the all-conference slots.
"It's cool to see what the support of teammates, belief and determination can do," said Berg-Haryasz.
For Westfield it's the 25th team title since the MASCAC began hosting a women's team championship meet in 1985, a total of 38 meets.
Westfield will take next weekend off from racing while prepping for the NCAA Division III Regional Championship at Stanley Park on November 11.