BOSTON, Mass. – The Lasell University men's and women's cross country teams geared up for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships on Saturday, competing against more than 20 schools in the Suffolk University Invitational at Franklin Park in Boston.

The Laser men placed 17th out of 24 teams in the event, while the women's squad took 19th out of 21 teams. The race included many of the GNAC schools as well, with Lasell placing fifth out of seven conference opponents while the Lasers women finished eighth out of eight.

Lasell will take next Saturday off before competing in the GNAC Championships on Saturday, November 2, at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, Maine.

Junior Geralson Withrow (Mystic, Conn.) was the top Laser finisher at Suffolk, placing 60th out of 245 runners in the 8K men's race in a time of 28:37. Senior Matt Holden (Methuen, Mass.) was next for the Lasers, placing 107th in a career-best time of 30:01. The next three Laser men to cross the line were close together, with freshman Zach Kirsch (Winsted, Conn.) placing 139th in 31:37, sophomore Joan Guzman (Nantucket, Mass.), 144th in a career-best 31:50, and junior David Jean (Malden, Mass.), 148th in 31:59. Lasell's final two runners were senior Kyle Mullen (West Newbury, Mass.), 180th in 33:28, and senior Kevin Wallin (Billerica, Mass.), 229th in 39:19.

Junior Amanda Miller (New Bedford, Mass.) was the top finisher for the Laser women, finishing the 5K race in 109th place out of 202 runners in 23 minutes, 20 seconds. Sophomore Emma Murray (Wethersfield, Conn.) was 30 seconds back, placing 122nd in 23:50, and sophomore Shakira Henriquez (Methuen, Mass.) was the third Laser finisher, placing 142nd in 24:39. Sophomore Grace West (Kennebunk, Maine) came in 147th in 25:02, followed by freshman Devin McCarthy (West Bridgewater, Mass.), 160th in 25:49, and sophomore Emma Vierling (Monmouth, Maine), 167th in 26:02.

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