UNIONVILLE, Pa. — Led by a first-place finish from junior Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and top-five performances by Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) and Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional), the Kutztown University women's cross country team captured first place Friday night at the West Chester University Season Opener, held at Unionville High School.

The Golden Bears scored 23 points to top the 5K field, finishing more than 10 points ahead of host West Chester (34) in the five-team race. Kutztown and West Chester runners dominated the leaderboard, taking the top 22 spots, with 11 belonging to the Golden Bears.

Lenhart was the first runner across the line, setting a personal best of 18:51.3 — the only sub-19-minute finish of the evening. Solomon placed third in a personal best 19:28.1, followed closely by Knerr in fourth with a personal best 19:36.1.

Kutztown also swept the seventh through ninth positions with Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) (19:57.7), Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) (20:00.4) and Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) (20:05.6) finishing within seconds of one another.

Additional Golden Bears in the top 20 included Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) (13th, 20:42.0, PR), freshman Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) (15th, 20:46.3) and Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) (18th, 21:35.6). Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) (22:24.4) and Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) (22:46.4) secured 21st and 22nd place, respectively.

With a strong season-opening victory, Kutztown looks to carry momentum into its home meet, the Division II/III Challenge, on Saturday, Sept. 13.
 

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West Chester University Season Opener
Friday, Sept. 5 | Unionville High School | Unionville, Pa.
Women's 5K
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
Team: 1st/5 (23 pts.)

1. Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) - 18:51.3 
3. Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) - 19:28.1
4. Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional)- 19:36.1
7.  Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) - 19:57.7 
8. Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) - 20:00.4
9. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) - 20:05.6
13. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) - 20:42.0
15. Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) - 20:46.3
18. Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) - 21:35.6
21. Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) - 22:24.4
22. Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) - 22:46.4