Short-handed Clayton State women place ninth at Georgia State Invitational

HAMPTON, Ga. – September 17, 2011 – Running short-handed on Saturday, the Clayton State Laker women's cross country received a strong effort from each runner in finishing ninth overall at the Georgia State Invitational at Nash Farms.

Clayton State, which was without its top runners (Samantha Walling and Kourtney Aylor) due to injury, had only five runners competing. In turn, the Lakers garnered 247 points to place ninth in the nine-team, finishing 45 points behind West Georgia.

Georgia won the event with 28 points, edging host Georgia State by five points.

Individually for Clayton State, junior Paige Galvin was the top finisher, placing 41st in the 6K event in 25:31. Freshman Jessica Smith came in 43rd in 25:44, while fellow freshman Maia Kuhnen finished 51st in 26:44.

Rounding out the Laker scoring was sophomore Gisele Javois finishing 52nd in a PR time of 26:46, while freshman Holly McNorton finished 60th in 29:14.

Clayton State runs next in the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic in Louisville, Ky., on Oct. 1.