XC Mocs win at Berry

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior Emily Poole led the Mocs to a firstplace finish on a bright and crisp fall Saturday morning at the Berry College Invitational on the Vikings’ campus.

Poole, the former Heritage High School standout, trailed the lead runner throughout the race and was passed by a runner from Berry with about two-kilometers to go in the 6K race. After letting a sizable gap form, the Mocs’ all-conference runner closed in and kicked past her to finish second with a time of 22:24.92.

“I thought she had a chance,” Chattanooga head coach Andy Meyer said. “To see Emily kick like that was great. Usually she’s at the front of the race and there’s so much separation she doesn’t have to kick. To see her have to kick today was great.”

Kennedy Thomson was the second UTC runner across the finish line sixth overall with a time of 23:01.76. Hannah Caldwell placed ninth overall with a time of 23:10.34 with Brianna Nelson 12th at 23:15.14. Nicole Buehrle was the fifth UTC scoring runner to finish with a time of 23:28.74 followed immediately by Sophia Neglia (23:29.97) and Julia Henderson who ran a personal record 23:30.42.

The Mocs finished with 39 points followed by Georgia with 65 points. Host Berry was third with 92 points and Kennesaw State placed fourth with 98 points. KSU’S Brenda Ayuk led the entire race and finished with a time of 22:07.36.

Poole has been the Mocs’ top finisher in all three races this season.

In the men’s race, another Heritage alum, Ryan Gebelein, was the third Chattanooga runner across the finish line with a time of 26:09.21 and 13th overall.

Berea College was the men’s overall winner with 52 points. Chattanooga was second with 114 points followed by Kennesaw State, Emory and Oglethorpe.