Sept. 8, 2007

California, Pa. - Senior Kenneth Foster and freshman Ronny Whiting placed in the top 10 and three other Mercyhurst runners earned top-25 finishes, helping the men's cross country team to a third-place finish at the CALU Invitational Saturday afternoon.

Foster, who earned two first-place finishes and a runner-up finish in 2006, turned in a time of 27:55.60 on the 8K course, placing sixth out of 78 runners. Whiting, in his first collegiate meetturned in a time of 28:10.60 and a ninth-place finish.

Fellow freshman Matt Allison placed 15th with a time of 28:58.30 and juniors Michael Humphrey and Derek Hoerner placed 18th and 21st respectively.

Also turning in solid times for the Lakers were sophomore Tomas Bolger and freshman Christopher Strohm, who placed 27th and 34th. Sophomore Andrew Rusnak was not far behind Strohm, placing 30th. Junior Kurtis Billig placed 42nd and Kevin Flannagan placed 69th.

As a team, Mercyhurst finished in third placewith an average time of 28:46.66. Host California (Pa.) edged the Lakers out for second place and Grove City College, with the top three finishers, took first place.

Grove City's Daniel Spaulding and and Garrett Cichowitz tied for first after running the course in 27:36.20.

The Lakers travel to South Bend, Ind., for the National Catholic Invitational on Sept. 14.