Kemei, Elon Phoenix Women Earn Victories at Pirate Invitational

Kemei, Phoenix Women Earn Victories at Pirate Invitational

GRIMESLAND, N.C. – Senior Scolasticah Kemei of the Elon University women’s cross country team continued her outstanding season on Friday, Oct. 18, at the ECU Pirate Invitational, winning the 6K race by 22 seconds while breaking her own school-record with a time of 20:25.67 at the course at Overton’s Lake Kristi.

The meet win was the third of the season for Kemei and helped the Phoenix women also earn its third team title during the regular season. Kemei’s first-place finish coupled with freshman Maria Ahm’s fourth-place standing and a fifth-place finish from senior Melissa Anastasakis propelled the Phoenix women to 35 team points.

On the men’s side, sophomore Andrew Miller paced the maroon and gold for the third time this season, nearly matching his personal-best time with a 24:45.87 and was 10th overall in the 8K race. The Phoenix men would finish sixth overall in the race with 149 points.

Women’s Recap
Kemei’s time of 20:25.67 broke her previous school-record of 20:44 that she had set earlier this season at the UVA Panorama Farms Invitational on Sept. 27. She also becomes the first member of the program to win three individual races in her career at Elon.

Ahm crossed the finish line with her time of 21:02.29 in fourth – besting her previous personal-best time of 21:24.2 that she also set at the UVA Panorama Farms Invitational this year. That time also moves into the program’s top-five performance list.

Anastasakis was fifth with her time of 21:05.98 – also a new personal-best for the Hillsdale, Ontario, native as she moves into the program’s top-10 performance list. Hannah Preeo also earned a top-10 finish at the meet, finishing ninth overall with a time of 21:30.61, a new personal-record.

Men’s Recap
Miller just missed his personal-best time of 24:41.8 as the Fleming Island, Fla., native led the Phoenix for the third time. Aidan Tierney was the next Phoenix runner behind Miller with his time of 24:53.03 and was 14th overall.

Tamer Metwalli was 47th overall with his time of 25:50.24, a new season-best. Connor White was right behind Metwalli with his new personal-record of 25:55.0. Richie Kasper was 55th in the men’s race with a time of 26:03.94 while Kieran Ungemach rounded out the top-five times for Elon at 26:06.27.

Up Next
The Phoenix will transition into postseason competition as the teams will prepare for the 2019 Colonial Athletic Association Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2, hosted by James Madison University.

Results – Elon Women
Elon – 1st (35)
1. Scolasticah Kemei – 20:25.67
4. Maria Ahm – 21:02.29
5. Melissa Anastasakis – 21:05.98
9. Hannah Preeo – 21:30.61
23. Margaret Springer – 22:14.32
33. Anna Twomey – 22:28.92
38. Emily Smith – 22:42.97
51. Sophia Tasselmyer – 22:58.47
52. Grace Dellapa – 23:00.12
53. Ashley Irby – 23:00.31
54. Hannah Miller – 23:03.03
75. Sami King – 23:44.23
80. Lauren Lynch – 24:04.96

Results – Elon Men
Elon – 6th (149)
10. Andrew Miller – 24:45.87
14. Aidan Tierney – 24:53.03
47. Tamer Metwalli – 25:50.24
48. Connor White – 25:55.48
55. Richie Kasper – 26:03.94
56. Kieran Ungemach – 26:06.27
63. Dillon Selfors – 26:23.58
94. Martin Adams – 27:10.82
95. Mitchell Shannon – 27:15.21