CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Lasell University men's cross country team sent a small contingent Saturday to the Elms College Blazer Classic at Chicopee Memorial State Park.

Junior Zach Kirsch (Winsted, Conn.) was the top finisher for the Lasers, placing 19th out of 45 runners with a time of 34:37 for the 8K race, an average of 6:58 per mile. Senior Joan Guzman (Nantucket, Mass.) was right behind, placing 21st in a time of 34:48 (7:00 pace).

Western New England University captured the team title with a score of 32. Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schools took up the next three places – Regis College (47), University of Saint Joseph, Connecticut (76) and Dean College (96), followed by Mitchell College (98) in fifth place. Lasell, Eastern Nazarene College and Elms College did not post team scores.

The Lasers will race again next Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Bruce Kirsh Cross Country Cup at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Hopkinton, N.H., hosted by Franklin Pierce University.

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