PSWS Celebrates Women's Cross Country PSUAC Championship in The View Cafe!
This past Tuesday the Lady Lions Cross Country team was recoginized for their achievements with support, banner presentation, and of course cake!
.By Sara Rinkunas with Gary Edstrom
On October 22, 2011 The Penn State Lady Lions Cross County team stood in their box at the start of the PSUAC Championship at PSU Fayette. On a Saturday morning when most people would enjoy a few extra hours to sleep in these girls woke up before the sun to catch the bus outside the gym at 5:00 am. They then made the 5 and half hour trip to Uniontown stopping to eat and stretch their legs for the race.
When race time came the girls were ready. The women's cross country team won their 5th consecutive PSUAC championship. With a mere 20 seconds separating our top three runners, the Scranton Lady Lions took 4 of the top 10 overall places and 6 of the top 10 scoring position en route to a convincing victory. Amber Martin led the way, covering the hilly, mud soaked 3.1 mile course in 23:56 to take 2nd place overall. Diana Kloss and Breanna Toolan were right on her heels grabbing the 3rd and 4th spots in 24:05 and 24:16 respectively. Freshmen Kassia Gallant, Ashley Pasqualichio, Kelly Lucas and Brooke Reynolds rounded out our top 7; finishing 8th, 12th, 13th and 16th overall. Harmony Vitali, Heather Dyser and Nicole Martoccio also turned in solid performances for Scranton. With the win, our ladies qualified to represent the PSUAC at the USCAA National Championship meet that was held on Nov 11th at the US Olympic training center at Mt. Von Hoevenburg, in Lake Placid, NY. There the girls placed 5th overall!
So this past Tuesday the girls got the recognition they deserved when a celebration of the win was held in their honor in The View Cafe at noon. With cake, refreshments, and a banner presentation lunchgoers cheered the ladies on as Coach Edstrom read their names and told us a little about each one. He highlighted hard times and even injuries and celebrated each persons dedication and hard work. With serious discussion about the hard work mother, nursing student and All-Academic Athlete Diana Kloss put forth to light jokes about Brooke Reynolds and her tall stature, Coach Edstrom called each girl up to shake the hand of Athletic Director Coach Mallas and Dr. Mary-Beth Krogh Jespersen.
The girls enjoyed presenting the banner and then diving into the cake they shared with the cafe. Congratulations girls - you deserve it!!
