Complete Results (NES Timing)

MANCHESTER, Conn. – The University of New Haven women's cross country team began its 2014 campaign at Manchester's Wickham Park at the Trinity Invitational on Saturday morning. Led by three top-20 finishers, the Chargers raced to a fourth-place performance in the 4K meet.
 
Meghan Kiernan (Salt Point, N.Y./F.D. Roosevelt / Dutchess Community College) led New Haven in her debut with the Blue and Gold, crossing the line in 13th place overall at 18:35. Erin Fox (Dover, N.J./Dover) was the next finisher in 14th place with a time of 18:42. Danielle Sorrentino (Staten Island, N.Y./Port Richmond) turned in a 17th-place mark of 18:55 as the third Charger to finish.
 
All five New Haven harriers to score in the meet were among the top half of the 70-runner field, as Jessica Bradt (West Milford, N.J./West Milford Township) placed 32nd with a time of 20:12 and Samantha Mathewson (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) finished in 20:19 to snag 34th place.
 
Rounded out the Charger pack were Jamila Ifill-Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Ford) and Liz Racsko (Southbury, Conn./Oxford), crossing the finish line nearly simultaneously at 21:37.
 
Host Trinity won the meet with five finishers among the top nine to notch an aggregate score of 32 points. The Chargers' fourth-place finish with 97 points topped Northeast-10 foe American International – the only other Division II team at the meet – which tallied 135 points.
 
American International's Pascaline Jerotich won the individual crown with a time of 16:32. Jerotich was 20 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jess Cardin of Westfield State, with the Trinity's Morgan Sullivan finishing a full minute later in third place at 17:52.
 
The Chargers will now have three weeks to train for the Ted Owen Invitational hosted by Central Connecticut State University on Saturday, Sept. 27. New Haven will then head to the Lehigh Valley for the Paul Short Run on Oct. 4 before beginning its championship season on Oct. 11.