CLINTON, N.Y. – Four Cortland runners finished in the top five, led by a winning effort from junior Alyson Dalton (Sherrill/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), as the Red Dragons' women's cross country team placed first out of five teams at the season opening Hamilton Short Course Invitational.

Cortland finished with a score of 24 points and Division II Mansfield was second with 48 points. Hamilton (73), Nazareth (109) and Mohawk Valley Community College (121) rounded out the field.

Dalton crossed the finish line 18 seconds ahead of the field with a time of 14:55.3 over 4,000 meters. Senior Kristin Vespa (Ossining) finished third in 15:14.4, followed by freshman Dayna Eikeseth (Staten Island/Tottenville) in fourth (15:18.7) and freshman Emily Cotey (Norwood/Norwood-Norfolk) in fifth (15:25.5).

Freshman Colleen Fischman (Buffalo/Hamburg) turned in an 11th-place time of 15:36.2, junior Hannah Hoffman (Rome/Rome Free Academy) was 15th (16:00.1) and sophomore Alexis Fairbanks (Apalachin/Owego Free Academy) placed 16th (16:01.9). Sophomore Jordyn Naylon (Fairport) also finished in the top half of the 73-runner field with a 27th-place time of 16:27.3.

Complete Results