Duka paces Bulldogs at New Englands on Saturday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Milan Duka (Belgrade, Serbia) finished 51st to lead the Bryant University cross country teams at the New England Championships on Saturday morning at Franklin Park in Boston.

Paced by Duka, the Bulldog men finished 28th, while the women ran to a 21st-place finish. Northeastern took home the men's team title and New Hampshire won the women's race.

Duka finished 51st, the best finish of his career, with a time of 25:49.0. He was followed by Matt McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.), Richard Landry (Holyoke, Mass.), Ryan Poholek (North Attleboro, Mass.), Brian Salit (Seekonk, Mass.), Ryan Gannon (Litchfield, Conn.) and Harrison McKinlay (Sutton, Mass.).

McGovern finished 130th (26:51.6), Landry finished 165th (27:27.2), Poholek was 176th (27:35.7), Salit and Gannon finished 211-212 (29:37.4 and 29:39.2) and McKinlay finished 215th (30:03.8).

On the women's side, Melissa Lodge (Hopkinton, Mass.) paced the Bulldogs with an 84th-place finish. She posted a time of 19:12.8. Emily McNeil (Shelton, Conn.) finished 89th (19:15.8), Elizabeth Willmonton (Rowley, Mass.) finished 109th (19:27.3), Olivia Weiss (Newton, N.J.) finished 114th (19:33.2), Jacklyn Sullivan (Plymouth, Mass.) finished 145th (19:50.1), Sarah Lapham (Greenwich, N.Y.) finished 186th (20:34.1) and Breann Campise (Tolland, Conn.) finished 196th (21:00.0).

The Bulldogs will have next weekend off before competing in the CCSU Mini-Meet on October 21.