Complete Results
NEWARK, N.J. (Oct. 3, 2015) - Braving the elements at Branch Brook Park on Saturday, the Molloy College men's and women's cross country teams each put on stellar efforts at the 12th annual Technology XC Challenge hosted by NJIT. Led by a 1-2 finish from seniors
Mike Darnell (Wantagh, N.Y.) and
Conor Gallagher (Belle Harbor, N.Y.), the men's team claimed a convincing team victory by totaling 36 points and finishing a full 53 points better than second-place Saint Thomas Aquinas. In the women's race, a slew of personal records were set by the maroon and white leading to an eighth-place finish for Molloy in the meet.
Freshman
Gabriella Martins (East Meadow, N.Y.) was the highest-finishing member of the Lions at Branch Brook Park, clocking a 20:07.40 over the five-kilometer course to place 23rd out of 152 runners. First-year harrier
Megan Doyle (Lynbrook, N.Y.) followed up Martins' performance with a 39th-place finish (20:57.85) while sophomore
Nicole Hubert (Middle Village, N.Y.) crossed the finish line in 41st-place (21:04.53). Continuing the impressive showing was sophomore
Carly Howard (East Rockaway, N.Y.), who earned a 49th-place finish by clocking a 21:27.64 at the invitational. Rounding out the Lions' day in the women's race were freshman
Sarah Estevez (Flushing, N.Y.) (69th, 22:29.27) and junior
Cara Loftus (Middle Village, N.Y.) (72nd, 22:37.96).
In the men's 8k race, Darnell put forth yet another solid performance in picking up his fourth top-10 finish and first meet victory of the season. The Wantagh native ran the course in a time of 25:14.53, nearly 13 seconds faster than the second-place time of fellow senior Gallagher (25:27.45). The Lions placed three other runners inside the top-20 at Branch Brook Park, with freshman
Brian Michels (Patchogue, N.Y.) headlining the group by clocking a 12th-place time of 27:01.41. Senior
Thomas Dreyer (Floral Park, N.Y.) followed with a 14th-place showing in a time of 27:19.72 while junior
Shane Martensen (East Islip, N.Y.) crossed the line in 16th place (27:48.83). Molloy would have a sixth runner finish inside the top-25 of the race, as sophomore
Travis Laderer (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) completed the eight-kilometer course in 28:08.77 to record a 22nd-place effort. Sophomore
Liam Gallagher (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) (35th, 29:03.99) and freshman
Carey Browne (Amityville, N.Y.) (37th, 29:19.38) wrapped up the maroon and white's standings inside the top-half of the 123-runner field.
Both Molloy cross country teams will take to a new course in Center Valley, Pa. for the Desales University Invitational on Oct. 10. The races are set to begin at 10:30 a.m.
