SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Tristian Merchant’s first appearance in a Liberty cross country uniform was a memorable one, Friday evening at the Eye Opener at Milliken Research Park. He raced to an individual victory in the men’s 8K, leading the Flames to an impressive men’s team title. Meanwhile, Adelyn Fairley took 11th in the women’s 5K, her first cross country race since 2021, pacing the Lady Flames to a third-place team showing.
Merchant, who outdueled Clemson’s Victor Ndiwa down the homestretch, was one of 10 Flames to cross the finish line inside the top 18. As a result, Liberty posted a 15-point margin of victory (25-40) over Southeast Region rival Furman atop the 18-team men’s field.
The Lady Flames edged South Carolina by one point (82-83) for third place out of 17 women’s squads. Liberty trailed only No. 30 Furman (25) and Clemson (58) in the final standings.
Liberty’s first race at the Milliken Research Park since 2015 enabled the Flames and Lady Flames to preview the course for the 2023 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, set for Nov. 10.
Women’s Team Results (17 Total Teams):
1) No. 30 Furman – 25
2) Clemson – 58
3) Liberty – 82
4) South Carolina – 83
5) Wing It Women – 160
Men’s Team Results (18 Total Teams):
1) Liberty – 25
2) Furman – 40
3) Clemson – 70
4) Augusta – 108
5) ETSU – 176
Women’s 5K Individual Results (176 Total Finishers):
1) Judy Kosgei, South Carolina – 16:52.6
2) Gladys Chepngetich, Clemson – 17:11.2
3) Kaylie Armitage, Furman – 17:19.8
4) Abigail Robertson, Furman – 17:19.9
5) Sierra Bower, Furman – 17:19.9
11) Adelyn Fairley, Liberty – 17:39.0
19) Katie Sigerud, Liberty – 18:10.4
20) Marie Hostetler, Liberty – 18:18.6
21) Katelyn Locker, Liberty – 18:18.9
25) Jessica Palisca, Liberty – 18:22.9
28) Catherine Farrell, Liberty – 18:26.5
39) Katrina Schlenker, Liberty – 18:44.2
63) Samantha Troup, Liberty – 19:27.2
68) Sophia Park, Liberty – 19:39.1
73) Allison Engle, Liberty – 19:47.5
78) Grace Ervi, Liberty – 19:57.0
84) Jessie Zealand, Liberty – 20:04.8
90) Rebecca Brown, Liberty – 20:14.2
94) Summer Bejarano, Lberty – 20:27.3
95) Anna Jo Ripple, Liberty – 20:31.7
97) Emily Atha, Liberty – 20:38.0
119) Rebekah Simmons, Liberty – 21:29.0
Men’s 8K Individual Results (170 Total Finishers):
1) Tristian Merchant, Liberty – 24:20.0
2) Victor Ndiwa, Clemson – 24:22.9
3) Nicholas Kiprotich, Liberty – 24:31.7
4) Carson Williams, Furman – 24:40.8
5) Cameron Ponder, Furman – 24:40.8
6) Will Jefferson, Liberty – 24:42.0
7) Nathan Moore, Liberty – 24:43.0
8) Caleb Olson, Liberty – 24:43.6
11) Kyle Harkabus, Liberty – 24:50.0
13) Jack Cottrell, Liberty – 25:08.5
15) Ethan Pedersen, Liberty – 25:12.2
16) Graham Mussmon, Liberty – 25:15.1
18) Jacob Hess, Liberty – 25:16.8
24) Gavin Sweeney, Liberty – 25:24.2
40) Ethan Stansbury, Liberty – 26:11.3
Race Reactions
• Merchant, who edged Clemson’s Ndiwa by 2.9 seconds for victory, became the second Flame in as many years to win his first race in a Liberty uniform. Nicholas Kiprotich, who took third on Friday, was the 2022 Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational men’s champion.
• The 2022 Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational marked the last time the Liberty men’s team finished first prior to Friday.
• Two newcomers to the Liberty cross country team, both transfers, finished inside the Flames’ men’s top five on Friday. Merchant is a transfer from Northern Arizona, while Nathan Moore (seventh overall, fourth on the team) is a transfer from Walsh.
• Ethan Pedersen (15th overall, eighth on the team) was the Flames’ top freshman finisher on the evening.
• Fairley was running her first cross country race since the 2021 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, as the two-time ASUN Conference individual champion missed the 2022 season due to injury.
• Katelyn Locker, a transfer from Monmouth, was the Lady Flames’ top newcomer in the season opener, placing 21st overall and fourth on the team.
• Sophia Park (68th overall, ninth on the team) was the fastest among the Lady Flames’ four freshmen.
Up Next
The Lady Flames will return to action on Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational in Charlottesville, Va. as part of a star-studded field. The women’s 5K will begin at 9:20 a.m. at Panorama Farms, site of the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Both Liberty teams will compete at the Paul Short Run, Sept. 30 in Bethlehem, Pa. The Flames’ first race of the day will come at 11 a.m.
Merchant, who outdueled Clemson’s Victor Ndiwa down the homestretch, was one of 10 Flames to cross the finish line inside the top 18. As a result, Liberty posted a 15-point margin of victory (25-40) over Southeast Region rival Furman atop the 18-team men’s field.
The Lady Flames edged South Carolina by one point (82-83) for third place out of 17 women’s squads. Liberty trailed only No. 30 Furman (25) and Clemson (58) in the final standings.
Liberty’s first race at the Milliken Research Park since 2015 enabled the Flames and Lady Flames to preview the course for the 2023 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, set for Nov. 10.
Women’s Team Results (17 Total Teams):
1) No. 30 Furman – 25
2) Clemson – 58
3) Liberty – 82
4) South Carolina – 83
5) Wing It Women – 160
Men’s Team Results (18 Total Teams):
1) Liberty – 25
2) Furman – 40
3) Clemson – 70
4) Augusta – 108
5) ETSU – 176
Women’s 5K Individual Results (176 Total Finishers):
1) Judy Kosgei, South Carolina – 16:52.6
2) Gladys Chepngetich, Clemson – 17:11.2
3) Kaylie Armitage, Furman – 17:19.8
4) Abigail Robertson, Furman – 17:19.9
5) Sierra Bower, Furman – 17:19.9
11) Adelyn Fairley, Liberty – 17:39.0
19) Katie Sigerud, Liberty – 18:10.4
20) Marie Hostetler, Liberty – 18:18.6
21) Katelyn Locker, Liberty – 18:18.9
25) Jessica Palisca, Liberty – 18:22.9
28) Catherine Farrell, Liberty – 18:26.5
39) Katrina Schlenker, Liberty – 18:44.2
63) Samantha Troup, Liberty – 19:27.2
68) Sophia Park, Liberty – 19:39.1
73) Allison Engle, Liberty – 19:47.5
78) Grace Ervi, Liberty – 19:57.0
84) Jessie Zealand, Liberty – 20:04.8
90) Rebecca Brown, Liberty – 20:14.2
94) Summer Bejarano, Lberty – 20:27.3
95) Anna Jo Ripple, Liberty – 20:31.7
97) Emily Atha, Liberty – 20:38.0
119) Rebekah Simmons, Liberty – 21:29.0
Men’s 8K Individual Results (170 Total Finishers):
1) Tristian Merchant, Liberty – 24:20.0
2) Victor Ndiwa, Clemson – 24:22.9
3) Nicholas Kiprotich, Liberty – 24:31.7
4) Carson Williams, Furman – 24:40.8
5) Cameron Ponder, Furman – 24:40.8
6) Will Jefferson, Liberty – 24:42.0
7) Nathan Moore, Liberty – 24:43.0
8) Caleb Olson, Liberty – 24:43.6
11) Kyle Harkabus, Liberty – 24:50.0
13) Jack Cottrell, Liberty – 25:08.5
15) Ethan Pedersen, Liberty – 25:12.2
16) Graham Mussmon, Liberty – 25:15.1
18) Jacob Hess, Liberty – 25:16.8
24) Gavin Sweeney, Liberty – 25:24.2
40) Ethan Stansbury, Liberty – 26:11.3
Race Reactions
• Merchant, who edged Clemson’s Ndiwa by 2.9 seconds for victory, became the second Flame in as many years to win his first race in a Liberty uniform. Nicholas Kiprotich, who took third on Friday, was the 2022 Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational men’s champion.
• The 2022 Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational marked the last time the Liberty men’s team finished first prior to Friday.
• Two newcomers to the Liberty cross country team, both transfers, finished inside the Flames’ men’s top five on Friday. Merchant is a transfer from Northern Arizona, while Nathan Moore (seventh overall, fourth on the team) is a transfer from Walsh.
• Ethan Pedersen (15th overall, eighth on the team) was the Flames’ top freshman finisher on the evening.
• Fairley was running her first cross country race since the 2021 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships, as the two-time ASUN Conference individual champion missed the 2022 season due to injury.
• Katelyn Locker, a transfer from Monmouth, was the Lady Flames’ top newcomer in the season opener, placing 21st overall and fourth on the team.
• Sophia Park (68th overall, ninth on the team) was the fastest among the Lady Flames’ four freshmen.
Up Next
The Lady Flames will return to action on Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational in Charlottesville, Va. as part of a star-studded field. The women’s 5K will begin at 9:20 a.m. at Panorama Farms, site of the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Both Liberty teams will compete at the Paul Short Run, Sept. 30 in Bethlehem, Pa. The Flames’ first race of the day will come at 11 a.m.
libertyflames.com
SOURCE
2023-09-02 01:44:20 , "Many Farms Arizona" – Vivrr Local
