Fajardo Claims Second-Straight Title To Pace Cross Country

Women's Results | Men's Results

Riverdale, NY - Junior Lisa Fajardo (Brooklyn, NY / Bishop Kearney) edged fellow 2016 All-MAAC performer Emily Wolff by just under two seconds in claiming the Women's Individual Title at the 23rd annual Henry Mercer Monmouth Invitational.

"Today we went to Holmdel to test ourselves on the MAAC course against other conference teams," said Head Coach Kerri Gallagher. "The goal was to learn more about who we are as a team and what we need to build on over the next six weeks. We accomplished that goal and I look forward to watching this team continue to seize every opportunity for growth that comes our way."

Paced by Fajardo, who clocked a time of 18:21.74, the Jaspers took third in the eight-team field of the 5K race. 

Junior Caroline Ferri (Garden City, NY / Garden City) was the second Jasper to cross the finish line for the second-straight week, clocking a time of 19:01.25 in taking 12th with fellow junior Erin Spadaccini (Wilmington, DE / Padua Academy) close behind in 14th with a mark of 19:17.25.

Senior Kaitlyn Smith (Effort, PA / Pleasant Valley) was 18th (19:24.67) and classmate Kelly Gorman (South Amboy, NJ / Cardinal McCarrick) 28th (19:40.57) to round out the scorers for Manhattan.

Marist (34) won the team title followed by Quinnipiac (44), Manhattan (70), Siena (118), Monmouth (125), Towson (140), Lafayette (206) and Army West Point (255).

On the men's side, the Jaspers finished second in the five-mile race with 55 points as Marist claimed top honors with 46 points. 

Junior Amir Khaghani (Bethesda, MD / Walt Whitman) paced the Manhattan effort and was third overall with a time of 26:33.36. Competing not too far from his hometown, senior Drew Reda (Matawan, NJ / Quinnipiac) took sixth in 26:48.23 followed by followed by classmate Chris Orlando (Newburyport, MA / Newburyport) in 12th (27:01.68).

Junior Nick Matson (Clifton, NY / Shenenehowa) was 15th (27:09.8) with junior Christian McLaughlin (Allenhurst, NJ / CBA) rounding out the Jasper scorers in 19th (27;23.76).

Monmouth's Kyle Mueller claimed the individual title with a mark of 26:24.35 with the Hawks taking third (71), followed by Siena (73), Quinnipiac (118), Lafayette (191) and Army West Point (201).

Both Manhattan teams return to action with the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, PA on Friday, September 29.