WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – A tough day of running saw the Southern Vermont College women's cross country team chalk up tremendous improvements from both this season and last year at Saturday's Purple Valley Classic hosted by Williams College at Mount Greylock Regional High School.

Three of the Mountaineers ran in the 5000 meter race while the other seven partook in the 6000 meter competition, a great chance for them to practice on an elongated course that will mirror November's NCAA Division III Regional Qualifier.

SVC placed 21st as a team in the 6k event with 639 points as SUNY Geneseo took first in the highly-competitive race with 65. The Mountaineers are back at it next Saturday, October 1 at the Keene State Invitational; that 5k is slated to begin at 10:30 a.m.

FULL RESULTS: http://finishright.com/download.php?type=Results&id=241

In the morning's 5k, SVC sophomore Morgan Kaeppel (Vernon, Vt.) was the first Mountaineer to cross the line with a 26:39; that time was 1:30 faster than that which she posted at last week's Johnson State Invitational. Sophomore rookie Bailey Bradbury (Grants Pass, Ore.) was next at 26:42, shaving 2:34 off her mark from last week for a new personal record. Senior Kaylee Cross (Lewis, N.Y.) knocked four seconds off her time from a week ago, rounding out the team with a 31:27.

Bennington College junior Annika Kristiansen (Keene, N.H.) was first to finish for Southern Vermont in the 6k, coming in at 25:28 for a mark five seconds faster than her time for that distance from 2015. Bennington classmate Isabella Poulos (Milwaukee, Wis.) was next for the Mountaineers at 25:42, taking 2:57 off her showing at last year's NCAA qualifier.

SVC senior Skye McGuire (Mechanicville, N.Y.) followed at 28:11 while classmate and captain Shelby Whitman (Bennington, Vt.) was close behind at 28:19. Fellow senior rookie Jordan Welch (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and sophomore Morgan Arleth (Berlin, Vt.) both competed in their first collegiate 6k's, coming in at 29:02 and 29:30, respectively. Senior Emily Lesure (Cheshire, Mass.) rounded out the Mountaineers' day in Williamstown, finishing at 30:47.

Southern Vermont 5k
44th - Morgan Kaeppel: 26:39
45th - Bailey Bradbury: 26:42 PR
47th - Kaylee Cross: 31:27

Southern Vermont 6k
162nd - Annika Kristiansen: 25:28
172nd - Isabella Poulos: 25:42
241st - Skye McGuire: 28:11
249th - Shelby Whitman: 28:19
257th - Jordan Welch: 29:02
259th - Morgan Arleth: 29:30
266th - Emily Lesure: 30:47

– #LetsGoSVC –