UB Stampede Invitational
Cross Country Teams Earn Runner Up Finishes At The UB Stampede
9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
GRAND ISLAND, NY - The University at Buffalo, State University of New York host men's and women's cross country teams both finished in second place Saturday afternoon in the UB Stampede Invitational at Beaver Island State Park in Grand Island, NY.
Bulls' freshman Chardae Henry finished a team-high second overall in the women's 5k race and Barrett Kemp garnered a third place finish in the men's 8k. UB placed four in the top 15 in both the men's and women's races en route to their respective second-place finishes -- UB's women with 44 points and the men with 48.
Corinne Birchard (seventh), Rachel Barich (eighth) and Meagan Hopkins (tenth) finished in the top 10 of the women's 5k race behind Henry. Andrew Berge finished one-second behind his teammate for third place overall, while Craig Kaiser (twelfth) and Cameron Bruce (thirteenth) wrapped up the top finishers for the Bulls in the 8k.
Henry and the Bulls started out the soggy 5k in a pack. After two miles of sticking with teammate and training partner Barich, Henry made a move when she felt the group picking up the pace. The last leg of the course went down a hill where she said she heard the men's team cheering her on and telling her to use it to her advantage and sprint.
Henry and head coach Vicki Mitchell said the week-to-week improvement to start the season is beneficial.
"We had a race last weekend and we came in fourth and to move up to second now is really good," Henry said.
"In the second race of the season for the women, a nice step forward," Mitchell said. "I'm pleased with how they competed. They got out aggressively which was our goal, so overall, a good showing."
The men's team executed according to plan by staying as a pack the first two miles to, as Kemp said, get younger team members accustomed to running an 8k.
"At the three-mile mark, we were free to go and some of us surged, some of us maintained and and some of us held on for dear life, but that's when it turned into a race," Kemp said.
Mitchell said she was pleased with the men's performance in their first official race of the season.
"For the men's team it was their first time running and it was good to see the guys out," Mitchell said, "and get a sense of where we are with our fitness. Our goal is to be ready to go in seven weeks at the conference championships so this was a good first step."
The UB women will return to action next Saturday as they head to the Iona Meet of Champions.
