Syracuse University
Maryland Invitational
Bitok Places Second at Maryland Invitational
10/11/2003 5:04:51 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Senior captain John Bitok placed second out of 87 competitors in the men’s 8k race at the Maryland Invitational on Saturday held at the University of Maryland’s golf course. Bitok completed the race in 24:42.2, 23 seconds behind David Seymour of American, who won the men’s title with a time of 24:19.7.
“I’m very happy with John’s performance,” Syracuse cross country coach Jay Hartshorn said. “It’s a good time for him considering that this was his first race of the season.”
Bitok, last year’s IC4A cross country champion, missed SU’s first three competitions because of an injury.
The Orangemen earned 66 points, good for third place in the 10-team field. American took home the men’s team title with 31 points.
Sophomore Chris Muldoon, who placed second at the Orange Classic, was SU’s second finisher, claiming 13th place with a time of 25:34.74. Joining Bitok and Muldoon in the top 20 were freshman and Orange Classic champion David Wishart, who finished 16th, completing the course in 25:43.69, junior Brian McNeil, who placed 17th (25:53.52), sophomore John Graham (18th, 25:59.45) and freshman Matt Lawson (20th, 26:04.68).
On the women’s side, Syracuse finished third out of nine teams with at total of 85 points. American also claimed the women’s team crown with 33 points, while host school American placed second, earning 40 points.
Junior Christine Ramsey followed up her victory at the Orange Classic with a sixth-place finish, completing the women’s 5K race in 18:38.35. Junior Leah Folmsbee placed 11th with a time of 19:05.01 and senior captain Lauren Rich posted a time of 19:13.84 to claim 15th.
“Overall this was our best meet of the season so far,” Hartshorn said. “Leah turned in another solid performance and I thought Lauren ran really well. I’m happy with the way the top seven runners on both sides ran today.”
Syracuse will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 18 when it will race at Albany.
