WESTFIELD, Mass. – Freshman Emma Murray (Wethersfield, Conn.) and junior Matt Holden (Mehuen, Mass.) were the top finishers for the Lasell College cross country teams Saturday as the Lasers competed in the annual James Earley Invitational, hosted by Westfield State University at Stanley Park.

The Laser women had a contingent of eight runners, and placed 24th out of 29 teams in the varsity race. The Laser men had five competitors and placed 28th in the men's scoring. Smith College, Trinity University and Mount Holyoke College were the top three teams in the women's standings, while Trinity, UMass Dartmouth and Lasell's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rival Norwich University took the top three spots in the men's scoring.

Murray finished in 131st place among 214 athletes in the women's 5K race, completing the course in 22 minutes, 22 seconds in her first collegiate 5K. Sophomore Amanda Miller (New Bedford, Mass.) was next for the Lasers, finishing 140th in a time of 22:44. The next three Laser finishers were freshman Emma Vierling (Monmouth, Maine), 151st in a season-best 23:17; sophomore Amanda Hawkes (Billerica, Mass.), 165th in 24:28; and senior Stephanie Seedorf (Massapequa, N.Y.), 168th in a season-best 24:37.

Holden finished in 154th place among 210 runners in the men's 8K race, crossing the finish line in 32 minutes, 11 seconds. Senior Ben Lane (Rutland, Vt.) was next for Lasell, placing 179th in 34:11, followed by junior Kyle Mullen (West Newbury, Mass.), 187th in a season-best 35:42; junior Kevin Wallin (Billerica, Mass.), 196th in a season-best 39:18 (nearly a minute faster than his previous best); and junior Mark Payton (Barrington, R.I.), 199th in 39:47.

The Lasers will be back in competition next Friday, Oct. 12, at the Suffolk Rams Invitational at Franklin Park in Boston. 

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