University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
College of Charleston Invitational
Upstate Takes Home Men's Team Title at College of Charleston Invitational
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Johns Island, S.C. – Griffin Eubanks turned in his third top-five performance of the season Friday evening as the USC Upstate men's cross country squad captured the team championship of the College of Charleston Invitational held at Trophy Lake Park.
The Upstate men picked up its first team title since winning last season's Eye Opener Invitational in Spartanburg. The Spartans had four runners, led by Eubanks, place 10th or better as they recorded 40 points with a total time of 2:09:58.20. Seven runners had personal-best times on Friday, while two recorded career-best finishes.
Eubanks surpassed his top time in the 8K for the fourth straight meet as he ran the course in 25:03.20 to finish in second place, tying his best finish at Upstate. He also placed second earlier this season at the Eye Opener Invitational.
Alex Love, Theodore Kountourogiannis and Martin Morrow each finished within four spots of each other in the top ten. Love was the second fastest Spartan runner on the day as he turned in a 7th-place showing, the second-best of his career, following a time of 25:53.20. Kountourogiannis collected his second career top-10 finish after completing the race one spot behind Love in eighth with a season-best time in the 8K of 26:09.20. Morrow picked up the best finish and time of his Upstate career as he placed 10th with a mark of 26:20.30.
Cody Ellison also set new career-bests as he ran a 26:32.30 for a 13th-place performance. The next three Spartans to cross the finish line were Joey Daversa in 21st (27:02.20), Riley Doherty in 23rd (27:08.40) and Dan Castello in 27th (27:13.20). Logan Ray (27:57.00) and Josh Lee (28:14.30) rounded out the race for Upstate in 40th and 44th places, respectively. Daversa, Castello, Ray and Lee all had personal-best times.
"Overall the men and women did a great job of racing," said Upstate associate head coach Carson Blackwelder. "They were aggressive early on and challenged not only themselves, but the competition. The guys went after it and it paid off with a victory."
On the women's side, the Spartans also had their best finish of the season as the team placed third overall in the 5K with 123 points and a total time of 1:37:49.80.
Jasmine Polite collected her fourth career top-five finish as she placed third with a personal-best time of 18:22.00. It was the second-best finish of her four-year Upstate career.
Polite was one of five Spartans to post personal-best times as she was followed in the individual standings by Anastasia Kolesnitchenko in 16th place after completing the course in a career-best time of 19:04.20. Essence Jackson and Ashleigh Torres both crossed the finish line within three spots of each other as Jackson was 36th after her personal-best time of 20:00.02, and Torres placed 39th after also registering a personal-best time of 20:02.40. Molly Bliss had the fifth fastest time for Upstate as she finished 44th after logging a time of 20:21.00. Rebecca Elliott became the fifth Spartan to record a personal-best time after she ran a 20:28.00 en route to a 48th-place showing. Storm-Alexis Gandy (22:28.30) and Kelsey Warren (22:48.40) completed the race for Upstate.
Host school College of Charleston won the women's race with 37 points and a total time of 1:33:12.00.
The Spartans have next weekend off from competition before traveling down to DeLand, Fla. for the A-Sun Championships hosted by Stetson.
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