KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – In a preview of next weekend's Big South Championship race, Longwood freshman Saad Khan and reigning Big South Runner of the Week Grace Puelo led the way as the Lancers' top team finishers at the VertCross Invitational hosted by High Point Friday at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex.
 
Running on the same course where the Big South Championship will take place in two weeks, Khan ran a personal-best 28:09.1 in the 8K to lead a cohort of eight Lancer men, while the junior Puleo followed with a 20:29.6 on the 5K route to lead seven Lancer women.
 
Khan was one of four Lancers to set personal bests on the day, leading men's teammates Benjamin Goulet (28:51.6) and Alec Daniel (29:37.2), and joining fellow women's freshman Nicole Pinder (20:54.9) from the women's team whose time tied her high school PR and set a college PR.
 
"I was really happy with how everyone left it out there today on an unseasonably hot day," said Longwood head coach Brooke Craig. "We used this as a fact-finding mission coming into conference, and we now know what to expect from the course."
 
Including Khan, Longwood's top four male finishers were all freshmen, with Ethan Pettyjohn, Benjamin Goulet and Alec Daniel following Khan to continue pacing the youth-fueled Lancer men's roster. Pettyjohn, who was Longwood's top finisher in each of his first three collegiate races, followed Khan with a 28:40.8 in his third consecutive 8K. Goulet placed one spot behind Pettyjohn with a 28:51.6, while Daniel followed the trio with a 29:37.2
 
On the women's side, Puleo and Fairbanks continued to jockey for Longwood's top spot, with the veteran Puleo coming in as Longwood's fastest for the third time in four races this season. Fairbanks followed with a 20:51.0 for her third top-two team finish, followed by Pinder who was just three seconds behind Fairbanks her with a personal-best 20:54.9.
 
The VertCross Invitational marks the Lancers' final tune-up before the 2021 Big South Championship on Oct. 29, which last year saw Longwood produce its first-ever All-Big South selection in Casey Williams, who placed 11th and set the school's 5K record.
 
High Point VertCross Invitational
October 1, 2021
High Point, N.C.
 
Men's Team Results (8K)
1. Duke (32 points, 2:09:13)
2. High Point (47, 2:09:24)
3. Appalachian State (60, 2:10:46)
4. VMI (111, 2:14:48)
5. Radford (139, 2:17:17)
6. Marshall (156, 2:18:30)
7. Longwood (213, 2:25:12)
8. Presbyterian (257, 2:47:04)
 
Men's Individual Results (93 participants)
56. Saad Khan (28:09.1)
66. Ethan Pettyjohn (28:40.8)
67. Benjamin Goulet (28:51.6)
76. Alec Daniel (29:37.2)
78. Sam Sager (29:53.2)
82. Nick Howell (30:26.4)
83. Connor Williams (30:30.5)
87. Dylan Forrester (31:58.1)
 
Women's Team Results (5K)
1. Appalachian State (58 points, 1:32:25)
2. Radford (62, 1:32:33)
3. High Point (74, 1:33:33)
4. Charleston Southern (83, 1:33:57)
5. Marshall (133, 1:36:02)
6. Campbell (136, 1:37:17)
7. VMI (214, 1:42:30)
8. Liberty (231, 1:43:49)
9. North Carolina A&T (240, 1:45:30)
10. Longwood (258, 1:46:55)
 
Women's Individual Results (107 participants)
69. Grace Puleo (20:29.6)
76. Caroline Fairbanks (20:51.0)
78. Nicole Pinder (20:54.9)
89. Kiersten Witte (22:07.6)
92. Kathryn Oylear (22:31.5)
100. Rachel Simmons (23:10.1)
102. Aislinn Garcia (23:42.5)
 
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