DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Suffolk women's cross country had one of the youngest rosters competing on the Coach Robert Dowd Cross Country Course Saturday and the Rams managed to finish 13th in the 30-team field at the Robert 'Buddy' Harris UMass Dartmouth Invitational.
The 48th installment of the event saw the Rams' women compete with one of the youngest squads with four true freshman and two sophomores, all of who ran their first collegiate 5K. Five of Suffolk's six rookies contributed to the team score of 349, which topped Trinity (391 – 14th), who ranked 10th in the first edition of the 2021 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Regional rankings, as well as conference counterparts Roger Williams (455 – 15th) and Western New England (827 – 30th). The Rams were on the heels of University of New England (344) as well, finishing just five points behind the Nor'Easters.
Gwen Koziara cruised in her first 5K. The freshman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was not only the first Suffolk student-athlete through the finisher's chute, but she was the fastest CCC runner as well with a time of 19:08.40 to take 24th overall in the field of 234.
Sophomore Sydney Fogg's 20:05.50 was good for 74th to join Koziara in the top 100, while freshman Therese McKeagney was 35 seconds behind Fogg to take 117th.
Junior Savannah Goddeeris returned to competition after taking last year, 2020-21, off from all sports. She clocked a 21:03.30 for 131st. Senior Skyler Spanbauer produced a personal-best time of 21:15.50 to claim 141st.
Christina Baggitt was the last Ram to add to the team's scoring with a 146th-place showing behind a time of 21:25.90. Sophomore Sarah Roberts also raced in the varsity meet.
Suffolk had a small contingent in the junior varsity race as well. Shannon MacArthur (24:06.80) and Michelle Riley (24:08.50) donned the blue-and-gold in the last event of the day.
The Rams will now rest until Saturday, Oct. 2 when it makes the trip to Geneseo, New York for the Mike Woods Invitational.
