NEWBURGH, N.Y. – For the first time in the three year history of the Knight Invite, the home team captured the title on Saturday. The women's cross country team finished first in a field of 13 to win their second consecutive meet. The men also turned in an impressive showing, placing fourth in a 15-team field.

For the second straight week, freshmen Nicole Zazzero (Brewster, N.Y.) and Ashley Maurer (Stormville, N.Y.) finished at the top of the leaderboard.  Zazzero finished five seconds ahead of Maurer with a time of 21:51.6.

The Knights also placed three other runners among the top twenty, with freshman Victoria Wresilo (Shelton, Conn.) leading the second pack in 13th place with a time of 23:02. Freshman Rachel Sleeter (Hyde Park, N.Y.) was next to cross for the Mount, placing 16th with a time of 23:07.4. Junior Cassandra Gucciardo (Levittown, N.Y.) followed right behind in 17th place with a time of 23:08.9.

Freshman Jessica Cowell (Shelton, Conn.) was 23rd in 23:53.8, sophomore Laura Santiago (San Juan, Puerto Rico) was 28th in 24:33.5, and sophomore Jacklyn Blakley (Sound Beach, N.Y.) clocked in at 25:16.5 for a 37th place finish.

On the men's side, freshman Ian Brink (Wallkill, N.Y.) was the top finisher (15th) with a time of 30:32.2. Three other runners finished amongst the top 30, including freshman Jeremias Ramos (Monroe, N.Y.) in 24th (31:20.5), freshman Scott Colello (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) in 27th (31:36.1), and freshman Mike Paris (Warwick, N.Y.) in 29th (31:50.1).

The Knights have a week off before heading to the Collegiate Track Championships in Sewell, N.J on October 16.