WATERFORD, CT - Junior Cat Dacey led all Union women's cross country participants with a 17th place finish in the Connecticut College Invitational Saturday, finishing in 22:02.9.
 
Union finished 19th out of 26 teams participating in the Women's 6000 Meter Blue run, finishing with 540 points, just one point behind Trinity (Conn.) for 18th and within 13 points of a 16th place finish.
 
Dacey's finish was good for the second-best time of her career, just 20 seconds shy of the 21:42.3 mark she posted at the RPI Harvest Classic a month ago, and her time Saturday came on a much hillier and more difficult course than the Pitney Meadows Community Farm course where she posted her best time at in September.
 
Union's other runners ran a gritty and determined race, working well together to pack up and pass other competitors in the mid-race portions.
 
Senior Allison Malatesta was the next finisher for Union, crossing the finish line in 23:46.7. Junior Caroline Kelly was next, completing her run in 24:19.9, finishing first amongst a pack of four Garnet Chargers runners that finished within a minute of her. 
 
Fiona Smith from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota won the race, finishing in 19:51.1, setting a new Division III national record for the 6k.
 
The Garnet Chargers will have next weekend off, getting set for the Liberty League Championships on the 28th at Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva. 
 
Complete Union Results:
Cat Dacey - 22:02.9 (17th)
Allison Malatesta - 23:46.7 (121st)
Caroline Kelly - 24:19.9 (145th)
Annabel Dobash - 24:50.6 (163rd)
Gabby Gavala - 24:52.8 (164th)
Alayna Gibson - 25:18.1 (178th)
Amelia Wagner - 25:47.6 (190th)