SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Florida Southern women's cross country team sent a small contingent of the team to compete in the Abbey Invitational hosted by Saint Leo University Saturday morning. With a fast course and tough field on the horizon for the next meet head coach Stephanie Bylander rested her top seven finishers from the season opening meet. Sophomore Julia Svartstrom picked up where she left off from the opening race of the season and led the contingent at the Abbey Invitational as she placed 21^st overall to pace the Mocs.
 
Svartstrom completed the 5K course in 20:49.97 to finish just eight tenths of a second out of the top-20. Sophomore Karah McElhone finished six spots back in 27^th after stopping the clock in 21:19.08. The next three Moccasin finishers all placed within six spots of each other. Sophomore Chloe Hacker led the way as she posted a time of 21:51.32 to place 34^th. Freshman Caitlin Beery finished two spots back in 36^th after stopping the clock at 21:53.72. Sophomore Emily Opalinski rounded out the Moccasin contingent as she crossed the line in 22:04.51 to take 39^th overall.
 
Embry-Riddle won the overall team title with 34 points followed by Tampa (67), Saint Leo (97) and Ave Maria (97). Florida Southern finished with 142 total points in the meet.
 
The Mocs will now continue their preparation for the Royals Cross Country Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte. The event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m.