POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – For the first time since November 2019, Siena Cross Country took the course Saturday for action in a fall race. The Saints began a crowded and competitive Fall 2021 schedule by entering select runners at the Marist Season Opener, held at Vassar Farm in Poughkeepsie, New York.
 
Siena's women displayed impressive team and individual performances with a second place finish behind only Northeast powerhouse UConn, with senior Olivia Lomascolo placing third in the women's 5k with a mark of 18:42.9. Junior Elaine Atanasova took ninth overall at 19:05.1, while graduate student Regina Rosati (15^th, 19:21.9), junior Sophia Vinciguerra (18^th, 19:39.1), and sophomore Katharine Hesler (21^st, 19:47.5) followed behind. The Saints finished ahead of MAAC counterparts Marist and Manhattan, while defending MAAC champion Iona entered individual runners.
 
Graduate student Aidan Canavan led the pack for the Siena men with a 13^th place finish and a time of 19:30.6, while sophomore Ryan Shanahan placed 17^th individually with a mark of 19:37.7. Sophomore Ben Guerin (26^th, 19:59.8), junior Matthew Laframboise (31^st, 20:16.9), and junior Nathan Poirier (33^rd, 20:20.1) rounded out the top-5 individually for the men, who finished sixth as a team.
 
Siena's fall season will continue with home action for the first time in two years next week, as the Saints host the annual Siena Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 11 at The Crossings of Colonie in Loudonville.