Gonzaga University
Montana Invitational
Boyle, Volcheff Pace Bulldog Harriers To Fourth In Montana
10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Oct. 2, 2010
Complete Men's Results in PDF Format 
Complete Women's Results in PDF Format
MISSOULA, Mont. - Gonzaga University men's and women's cross country teams both finished fourth in the Montana Invitational hosted by the University of Montana Saturday.
Chris Boyle paced the men with a 10th-place finish and Laura Volcheff finished 14th to lead three Bulldog women in the top 20.
Boyle finished the 8K course in 25:39. Patrick Casey of Montana State University captured the race in 24:27.
Volcheff covered the 5K women's layout in 18:43, a minute behind winner Katrina Drennan of the host Grizzlies who won in 17:41. Lauren Bergam was 18th in 18:55 and Emily Thomas 20th in 18:56 for the Bulldogs.
Following Boyle, the Bulldog men were bunched from 20th to 24th with Robert Walgren (26:10), Patrick Richie (26:17), Brent Felnagle (26:18) Tate Kelly (26:18) and Andrew Walker 26:22).
The Bulldog men scored 91 points, five behind Eastern Washington University in third and well behind Montana State which had five runners in the top eight for 21 points.
Gonzaga's women had 101 points in the meet won by the host Grizzlies with 33 points as they had four runners in the top nine.
"It was a very good day on the women's side," Gonzaga head coach Pat Tyson said. "It was a good tune-up. I think our women are making good strides. Volcheff was engaged in the race and Bergam had a great race. Thomas ran solid, and to see Bergam, Thomas and Lara Tuthill within three seconds of each other was very nice."
Tyson said Brenn Donnelly was left home with what appears to be a virus, and "Kayla Lloyd and Brittany O'Regan faded back and had kind of a tough day but both will be fine."
Boyle went out with the top 12 and challenged "a very good Montana State team" according to Tyson.
"We had seven guys within a 22-second split, and our top eight were within a minute spread. That's not a bad thing," Tyson said of the men's team.
Tyson is hoping some irony pans out this year.
"Last year Boyle ran a 26:10, finished 20th and went on to take second at the West Coast Conference Championship. Today, Walgren had the same exact time and the same exact place. Richie was within seven seconds of him. Does that put them in position to get into the top 15 or 20 at WCC? I hope so," Tyson said in answer to his question.
Tyson is still looking for someone in the second pack to break away.
"I'm hoping someone in that group breaks through. If they do we have a chance to be in the top four in the WCC," Tyson said. "We have great depth, we had some guys beat Montana State's number seven runner on a very good team. But we need more people chasing Boyle."
Saturday was the third straight weekend the Bulldogs have competed, although Tyson held out some runners last weekend.
"Three in a row is tough," Tyson said. "I thought we ran better today than last week and way better than a year ago. It will be nice to have a workout next weekend and use EWU as the final determination for who our top seven will be in the WCC. They fed off each other better and competed better today. There were some good things," Tyson said of his squad's performance.
Gonzaga will get a week off prior to competing in the Eastern Washington University Invitational Oct. 16 in a meet that begins and ends at the EWU soccer field.
