Byrne Leads Louisville Men’s Cross Country at Navy Invitational

Sophomore Tyler Byrne finished runner-up in the 8K race with a time of 24:22.60

 

September 17, 2011

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sophomore Tyler Byrne led the No. 19-ranked University of Louisville men’s cross country team to a fourth-place finish on Saturday afternoon at the Navy Invitational with a second-place showing at the USNA Golf Course, while the women’s squad checked in seventh.

 

“Tyler did a nice job today, but he went back early to help pull some of the guys up in the back,” assistant coach Joe Walker said. “Within the final mile, though, he really closed in and gained a number of spots.”

 

Byrne, who opened the year with a first-place finish at the Mid-America Opener, completed the Cardinals’ first 8,000-meter race of the season in 24:22.60. It was the second-fastest 8K time of his career. Senior Luke Lovelace was the team’s second finisher, crossing the finish line 13th with a time of 24:49.20, while redshirt junior Gordon Dooley rounded out the team’s top three runners by taking 18th in 24:57.47. Redshirt senior Matt Bruce made his first appearance in a cross country meet since Oct. 2, 2010, registering a 20th-place finish, and sophomore Mattias Wolter was the squad’s fifth-scoring runner, as he placed 25th.

 

“For us to be really good, we must run as a group and in a tight pack,” Walker adds. “It didn’t show that in the results today, but I think we’re learning. We don’t want to just run in a group in the middle, though; we want to run in a group at the front.”

 

The Cardinals combined for 78 points, just eight more than LaSalle, which finished third in the team standings. Eastern Kentucky won the competition, and event-host Navy placed second. American, which finished fifth, totaled 50 points more than Louisville at 129.

 

On the women’s side, freshman Madie Davidson again led the squad with a third-place finish in the women’s 6K, she finished in 22:06.44, two seconds off the individual winner, LaSalle’s Caitlin Storbeck (22:04.67). Classmate Michelle Molodynia had a strong 21st-place showing, while junior Ariel Briggs finished 39th (37). Freshman Megan Klein (55th/47) and junior Cassie Martin (58th/50) rounded out the five-scoring runners.

 

“Madie and Michelle ran strong races today,” Walker says. “Madie just got outsprinted in the last 100m, and Michelle got out pretty strong and aggressive.”

 

The Cardinals will be idle for nearly two weeks before returning to action on Oct. 1 at the Greater Louisville Classic in Louisville at E.P. ‘Tom’ Sawyer State Park. Start time is set for 9:30 a.m.

 

For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to UofLsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.

 

MEN’S TEAM RESULTS

1. Eastern Kentucky, 45; 2. Navy, 59; 3. LaSalle, 70; 4. LOUISVILLE, 78; 5. American, 129

 

MEN’S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

2. Tyler Byrne, 24:22.60; 13. Luke Lovelace, 24:49.20; 18. Gordon Dooley, 24:57.47; 20. Matt Bruce, 25:00.65; 25. Mattias Wolter, 25:08.18; (61.) Ryan Eaton, 25:44.03; (75.) Andrew Stewart, 26:13.78

 

WOMEN’S TEAM RESULTS

1. Navy, 43; 2. LaSalle, 53; 3. Loyola (Md.), 125; 4. Malone, 130; 5. Akron, 132; 7. LOUISVILLE, 158

 

WOMEN’S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

3. Madie Davidson, 22:06.44; 21. Michelle Molodynia, 23:16.08; 39. (37) Ariel Briggs, 23:47.96; 55. (47) Megan Klein, 24:04.63; 58. (50) Cassie Martin, 24:07.65; (63./52) Kacey Cox, 24:14.02; (86./60) Paige Dooley, 24:43.65

 

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For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu