MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Southern women's cross country team opened its 2022 campaign Saturday morning taking a second place team finish at the Eastern Florida State College Fall Classic. All 15 of the Florida Southern harriers finished in the top-33 at the event as the Moccasins focused on team tactics with everyone chipping in to push each other for a solid team performance.
Sophomore
Emma Mussante and junior
Ellie Fluman were the first two Mocs to cross the finish line as the pair placed fourth and fifth, respectively, Mussante completed the 5K course in 19:18.8 while Fluman cross just one tenth of a second behind at 19:18.9.
The next pair to cross for Florida Southern were juniors
Jinia Johnson and
Emery Roth who took seventh and eighth overall. Johnson was the first to stop the clock at 19:41.8 while Roth finished three seconds later at 19:44.7.
Sophomore
Marisa Kortright and freshman
Rachel Hockenberry rounded out the top-six for the Mocs as the pair finished 10
th and 11
th. Kortright completed the distance in 19:46.0 while Hockenberry clocked in at 19:49.2 in her first collegiate appearance.
Sophomore
Mya Stam and junior
Carolina Titus were the next two Mocs to finish the race as Stam took 14
th overall and Titus finished two spots back in 16
th. Stam turned in a time of 20:19.0 while Titus claimed a time of 20:40.2
Sophomore
Julia Svartstrom (19
th, 20:47.4), junior
Kaylee Padar (20
th, 20:48.0), freshman
Madison Thomas (22
nd, 21:09.4), sophomore
Chloe Hacker (25
th, 21:27.1), freshman
Caitlin Beery (27
th, 21:30.8), sophomore
Emily Opalinski (31
st, 21:41.4) and sophomore
Karah McElhone (33
rd, 21:46.7) rounded out the Florida Southern finishers.
Florida Southern finished second in the meet behind Sunshine State Conference foe Embry-Riddle who finished with 21 total points. The Mocs compiled 34 points and were well ahead of third place Florida Gateway College who posted 101 points.
The Mocs will be back in action in two weeks as they travel north to the Saint Leo Invite hosted by Saint Leo University. The meet is scheduled to take place Saturday, Sept. 24.
