Zbikowski Captures MASCAC Title to Lead Women's Cross Country at MASCAC Championships

GORHAM, Maine -- Krysta Zbikowksi Capured the individual title to lead the Bridgewater State University Bears to a second place finish at the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Gorham, Maine.

Westfield State nabbed their tenth straight team title finishing with 34 points. The Owls landed five runners in the top ten including the third and fourth place spots. Bridgewater was the runner-up with 44 points while Worcester State rounded out the top three with 75. Coming in fourth was Fitchburg State with 103 points. Salem State and Framingham State were fifth and sixth with 141 and 168 points, respectively. MCLA was seventh with 171 points and Massachusetts Maritime eighth with 239.

Zbikowski won the race with a 5k time of 19:29.25 as she earned her the title of MASCAC Runner of the Year and a spot on the All-Conference squad. Joining her was teammate Danielle Poto who finished second in 19:34.05. Giving the Bears one more runner on All-Conference was Samantha Pinkham who finished sixth in 20:21.85.

In third and fourth place from Westfield State were Olivia Marshall and Jenn Asci. Marshall crossed the line in 20:03.11 while Asci came in at 20:12.18 to earn the MASCAC Rookie of the Year honor. Teammates Taylor Shorette, Jennifer Holley and Andrea Domings were the last three slots on the All-Conference team in eighth, ninth and 10th with times of 20:29.73, 20:39.30 and 20:48.79.

Worcester State junior Chelsey Peso finished fifth in a time of 20:18.70 while her fellow Lancer Ali Barret was seventh, finishing in 20:24.39 to secure spots on the All-Conference team. Westfield State's head coach Bill Devine and Bridgewater State's Jim Simoneau were named the MASCAC Co-Coaches of the Year. 

Keene State won the Alliance meet with 17 points. Westfield State finished third overall with 118 points.

Zbikowski and Poto both earned All-New England Alliance honors by placing in the top twenty in the Alliance individual resuts.  Zbikowski finished ninth while Poto was 11th.