Mary Erin Imwalle, communications senior, won her first race of the year while leading the women’s team to a second place finish in the Xavier/Loyola Big Easy Invitational on Sept. 14. The women’s team finished with 49 points. Imwalle crossed the line with a 20:36.65 time, the fourth best of her career. It was her first win since she took the Golf Coast Atlantic Conference title a year ago. Other runners for the women include Rachel Leonard, sociology freshman, who finished eighth with a time of 23:30.20. The rest arrived in couples: psychology seniors Emily Reed and Rebecca Reed finished 14th and 15th with times of 24:52.61 and 24:57.31, respectively, and Margot Bienvenu, visual graphics freshman, and Kristen Francis, biology freshman, finished 17th and 18th with times of 25:03.68 and 26:17.94.

“I feel pretty good about [our finish], especially since it was the first time we have ran here,” said Coach Al Seither, who drove out to Audubon Park on Friday to help plan the race. He and Xavier officials formed a make shift course that zigzagged around youth soccer teams and the occasional Frisbee match.

History freshman Sean Meleen was the only Loyola runner to reach the top ten of the male eight-kilometer race. His 32:07.27 time was quick enough for a ninth place finish. English writing junior Zach Custer followed as the 15th place runner and a 34:23.05 time. Marketing sophomore Tyler Kaufman finished 19th with a 35:52.32 time and political science sophomore Chris Tyree finished 24th with a 38:12.68 time.

Biology freshman Daniel Pattillo missed the race due to tightness in his calf.

“We figured we’d play it safe with him,” said Seither who wanted to prepare Pattillo for next week’s LSU Invitational, although the head coach would not commit to saying Pattillo would run. Last meet he finished second among men despite the injury.

For the second time this season the men’s squad didn’t qualify enough runners to place among the teams.