Contributing photo: Junior Emily Francis has led Mercyhurst in every race she has competed in over her first two seasons.Finishing in top rankings at the first two invitationals, and after being selected as 16th from the PSCA preseason poll, the Lakers are off to a successful start.

The Lakers are off to a successful start. Finishing in top rankings at the first two invitationals, and after being selected as 16th from the PSCA preseason poll.
Finishing fourth at their first opening match at the Fredonia State Invitational and third at the Mack Cooper Invitational, hosted by Slippery Rock University at Cooper’s Lake Campground the Lakers have picked up momentum and are pushing forward.

At their first invitational on Sept. 7, junior Emily Francis placed 16th at the 5k event.

Francis has led the team, reaching top scores in every race since she joined the team in 2011.

With a time of just over 20 minutes (20:12:03), Francis continues to prove that she is a great asset to the team.

She also led the team and placed 12th at the Mack Cooper Invitational on Sept.13.

Other players that lead the team were juniors Sara Chuzie and Becca Reichbaum who came in second and third respectively on the team at the Fredonia Invitational.

Senior Rebecca Wheeling was second among Mercyhurst runners and finished 20th and junior Sara Chuzie finished in 27th place at the Mack Cooper Invitational.

The Lakers will compete again Friday, Sept. 20, when they travel to the University of Notre Dame for the National Catholic Invitational.