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Women's Cross Country Friday, October 03, 2014 WIU Athletic Communications

Smith and Holt run career-best times at Notre Dame Invitational

Lydia Smith and Mark Holt led all Leatherneck runners in South Bend, Ind. on Friday (Oct. 3).

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Senior captain Lydia Smith led the Western women's cross country team on Friday (Oct. 3) at the Notre Dame Invitational as she finished with a career-best 5K time of 18:40.8 in the women's Gold Division race. Fellow senior captain Mark Holt led the Leathernecks in the men's 5-mile Gold Division race with a personal-record time of 25:36.5

The women's 5K Gold Division gun fired at 2 p.m. ET as the Western women took on a field of 26 teams, with six regionally ranked in NCAA Division I. In the field of 211 competitors, the Purple and Gold set a number of individual of career marks as five of the six Leatherneck runners set career marks in the 5K.

Sophomore Madison Lefler finished on the heels of Lydia Smith with a time of 19:02.0, while juniors Alyssa Johnson and Jaclyn Finney finished in 20:24.1 and 20:45.2, respectively. Jessica Burke and Kelsey Capovilla would round out the field for the Leathernecks crossing the line in 23:11.8 and 25:11.1.

On the men's side, Western faced off against 22 teams with four ranked regionally in NCAA Division I and 174 competitors. Mark Holt's career mark in the 5-mile was good enough to place him in the top 100 with fellow senior Tariq Ahmad running a personal-best 29:36.6. The Purple and Gold's four freshman gained valuable experience in their first collegiate 5-mile race.

Grant Kaiser finished the race in 27 minutes flat, with classmate Angel Carrera just six seconds behind at 27:06.5. Jose Gonzalez and Darius Thomas rounded out the times for WIU with Gonzalez posting a mark of 29:50.0 and Thomas crossing the line in 31:13.0

Western cross country takes a two week break before returning to Peoria, Illinois for the Bradley Classic on Friday, October 17. The Classic will mark Western's second of three visits to Peoria this fall. The competition will be run on the same course as the NCAA Midwest Regional, held on Friday, November 14.

Fans can follow Western Illinois cross country and track and field on Twitter @W1UXCTF

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Players Mentioned

Tariq Ahmad: DISTANCE; Senior

Mark Holt: DISTANCE; Senior

Kelsey Capovilla: DISTANCE; Junior; Harlem Senior

Jaclyn Finney: DISTANCE; Sophomore; Washington Community

Alyssa Johnson: DISTANCE; Junior; Washington Community

Madison Lefler: DISTANCE; Sophomore; Canton

Lydia Smith: DISTANCE; Senior; Canton

Jessica Burke: DISTANCE; Junior; Mayhomet-Seymour

Angel Carrera: DISTANCE; Redshirt Freshman; Round Lake Senior

Grant Kaiser: DISTANCE; Freshman; Glenwood

Darius Thomas: DISTANCE; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman; Macomb

Players Mentioned

Tariq Ahmad
: Senior
: DISTANCE

Mark Holt
: Senior
: DISTANCE

Kelsey Capovilla
: Junior; Harlem Senior
: DISTANCE

Jaclyn Finney
: Sophomore; Washington Community
: DISTANCE

Alyssa Johnson
: Junior; Washington Community
: DISTANCE

Madison Lefler
: Sophomore; Canton
: DISTANCE

Lydia Smith
: Senior; Canton
: DISTANCE

Jessica Burke
: Junior; Mayhomet-Seymour
: DISTANCE

Angel Carrera
: Redshirt Freshman; Round Lake Senior
: DISTANCE

Grant Kaiser
: Freshman; Glenwood
: DISTANCE

Darius Thomas
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman; Macomb
: DISTANCE