TORRANCE, Calif. - The LMU cross country teams competed in the first ever LMU South Bay Twilight meet on Friday night at Charles H. Wilson Park in Torrance, Calif. Â
Â
The Lions battled the elements for the second straight week after last week's meet at Carbon Canyon Regional Park saw extreme temperatures. The starting times were pushed back from mid-afternoon to the evening to get out of the extreme heat warning affecting most of Los Angeles County. As a result, the runners were racing through bouts of heavy rain and drizzle.Â
Â
Roberto Ruelas finished first in the men's 8K with a time of 24:48.7.Â
Â
The men saw four runners record personal bests. Hunter Krasa (25:30.9) finished third overall but beat his previous best by a whopping 52 seconds.
Preston Conner (27:04.6),
Daniel Vaca (25:35.4) and
Ben Hefner (27:10.9) also beat their previous bests.Â
Â
In the women's 6K, it was first-year
Hayden Washington who once again set the pace for the Lions. After spending most of the race neck-and-neck with Sylvia Ingram of Saint Mary's, Washington (22:37.6) turned it on in the final stretch to win by a half second.Â
Â
Â
Both teams will be in action next on Sept. 30. The women will head to Lodi, Calif. for the Pacific Collegiate Invite hosted by the University of the Pacific. The men will be headed to South Bend, Ind. for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational.Â
