Tomlin, Kelley Lead Bowdoin Cross Country To Season-Opening Wins

Sarah Kelley and Bridger Tomlin led the Polar Bears to Saturday wins (www.CIPhotography.com)

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Bridger Tomlin and Sarah Kelley took first-place finishes to pace the Bowdoin College cross country teams to a season-opening win Saturday at the Bowdoin Invitational I.

The Polar Bear men took five of the first seven finishers to record 21 points and edge WPI (37), Maine-Farmington (94) and Lyndon State (97). The Bowdoin women took five of the first nine spots to total 25 points to defeat WPI (30), Maine-Farmington (91) and Lyndon State (110).

Men's 8K Race

• The lead pack of Tomlin, Matthew Jacobson, and 2 WPI runners (Ryan Moran & Austin Scott) hung together for the majority of the race. Tomlin (26:00.17) and Jacobson (26:00.73) pulled away with a strong kick down the final straightaway to go 1-2.
• Sam Dodge (26:30.09) and Ben Torda (26:42.10) took fifth and sixth place, respectively.
• First-year Andrew McGowan had an impressive first race, moving up well in the final mile. He was Bowdoin's fifth finisher on the day and seventh overall.
• Christian Heath had a solid performance, improving from out of Bowdoin's top-12 last year to being the seventh Polar Bear on Saturday

Women's 5K Race

• With about a mile to go Sarah Kelley broke away from the field to win by a convincing 12 seconds in 19:19.61.
• Lucy Skinner was third overall in 19:36.55 while first-year Martha Boben took fifth in 19:43.88 in her first collegiate competition, highlighting a strong day for the Bowdoin rookies, who had three of Bowdoin's top seven performances.
• Ally Fulton (20:01.83), Julia O'Rourke (20:05.67), and Sarah Kinney (20:15.16) ran together for much of the race and moved up on a pack of WPI runners in the last mile to secure the win for Bowdoin.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears have a nice respite before their next action. Bowdoin will compete again on September 26 at home for the Bowdoin Invitational II.