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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s cross country team won its second consecutive meet on Saturday afternoon as the Colonels defeated six teams at the 29th annual Western Kentucky Old Timers Classic at Kareiakas Park. The EKU women’s team finished second at the same meet, falling only to host WKU.
Although the meet was not officially scored, it could have been scored as six separate dual meets. In that scenario, the EKU men, who were ranked eighth in the Southeast Region heading into Saturday’s race, defeated host WKU (23-38), Marshall (18-43) and four OVC rivals in Austin Peay (15-49), Morehead State (15-50), Tennessee Tech (15-50) and UT Martin (15-50).
The EKU women, who were ranked ninth in the Southeast Region before Saturday, were edged by region rival WKU (32-24), but defeated the likes of Marshall (15-49) and OVC opponents Austin Peay (15-50), Morehead State (15-50), Tennessee Tech (15-50) and UT Martin (15-50).
Freshman
Soufiane Bouchikhi led the men’s team as he won his second meet of the season by edging WKU’s Shadrack Kipchirchir by less than a second on a sprint at the finish. Bouchikhi defeated a field of 85 runners and completed the 8K course in a time of 24:39.72.
Sophomore
Victor Kemboi, in his first ever race as a Colonel, was EKU’s second finisher as he placed sixth overall with a time of 25:23.70. Senior
Evans Kiptoo, seeing his first action of the season, was eighth with a time of 25:54.77, junior
Musa Kimuli was ninth with a time of 26:12.50 and freshman
Adams Ronnoh rounded out the Colonels’ top five with a 10th place finish in a time of 26:14.74.
Senior
Kat Pagano was the women’s team’s top finisher as she placed third overall out of 70 runners, covering the 5K course in a time of 18:34.08.
Reigning OVC champion sophomore
Picoty Leitich was the Colonels’ second finisher as she placed fifth overall with a time of 19:04.62. Sophomore
Jackline Barkechir was sixth in 19:08.82, junior
Danielle Mason was seventh in 19:12.94 and senior
Ashli Joseph rounded out EKU’s top five with an 11th place finish in a time of 19:34.31.
The cross country Colonels return to action next Saturday, Sept. 25, when they compete at the Memphis Twilight Classic in Memphis, Tenn.