The Florida Southern College women’s cross country team returned to action Saturday morning after taking nearly a month away from competition. Senior Emma Mussante and graduate student Ellie Fluman once again etched their names in the FSC record book as the pair each posted their second top-10 6K time in program history. The Mocs took seventh as a team in the 34-member field.
Mussante posted the fourth-best 6K time in program history while taking 20th overall in the 272-member field. The senior crossed the finish in 21:33.40, just missing out on her personal best of 21:32.4, set last season at the NCAA South Region Championship. Fluman came in 10 spots back in 30th while claiming the 10th-best time in program history at 21:50.10, just five seconds off her personal best. Sophomore Emma Pfeiffer rounded out the top three for the Mocs as she took 48th to finish just inside the top-50. Pfeiffer stopped the clock at 22:08.80.
Senior Mya Stam and graduate student Cheyenne Young completed the scoring five for the Mocs. Stam crossed the line in 22:17.70 to place 55th while Young clocked in at 22:25.60, good for 65th. Junior Rachel Hockenberry was the first non-scorer for the Mocs as she took 78th while turning in a time of 22:38.30.
The next three Moccasins all finished inside the top-100 as sophomore Grace Reed led the trio in 89th at 22:44.70. The next two FSC finishers were sophomores Emma Nales-Torchioand Kira Mothershed. Nales-Torchio finished 93rd while stopping the clock at 22:51.40 while Mothershed came in three spots back in 96th at 22:56.50.
The Mocs finished ahead of a pair of ranked teams including 13th-ranked Lee (13th) and 25th-ranked SCAD (16th) while 16th-ranked Pittsburg State took home the team title with 62 points. Rounding out the top three were 12th-ranked Chico State (67 pts.) and 27th-ranked Cedarville (97 pts.). All three Sunshine State Conference teams at the meet finished in the top-seven with Nova Southeastern taking fourth, Tampa, fifth and the Mocs seventh.
The Florida Southern women’s cross country team will be back in action Friday, Oct. 18 as the Mocs host their second meet of the season, the Ed Holloway Collegiate XC Classic.
