Oct. 3, 2015 SACRAMENTO -- UC Davis freshman Jordy Ceja finished 14th in his Division I debut, while newcomer Muna Alhamad was 33rd on the women's side, highlighting the Aggies' day at the inaugural Capital Cross Challenge hosted by Sacramento State on Saturday morning at Haggin Oaks Golf Course.
The men finished seventh overall in the field with 155 points, finishing behind team champion Saint Mary's, which also had the individual winner in Cormac McCullaugh, who covered the 8K course in a time of 24:30.0. On the women's side, UC Davis finished eighth with 231 points behind team champion Loyola Marymount. Chloe Berlioux took home individual honors for the host Hornets, crossing the line in a time of 16:36 for the 5K course.
After starting the season on the injured list, Ceja toed the line for the first time in 2015 and blazed across the course in a time of 25:16.9, and was followed by Patrick Fitzgerald (26th, 25:37.8) in the top 30. Luke Dorman (26:11.6) in 38th, Jordon Rushing (26:27.5) in 43rd, and Olivier Abundez-Dominguez (27:06.1) in 53rd, rounded out the scoring group for the Aggies.
Ryan Dimick finished with a time of 27:53.8, while freshman Jonathan Summer crossed in a time of 28:18.8 in his Division I debut.
On the women's side, Alhamad earned her third start in four meets this season and did not disappoint, pacing the UC Davis pack in a time of 18:10.3. Making her Division I debut, freshman Megan MacGregor was three spots back of her teammate in 36th with a time of 18:14.1.
Junior Olivia Goins (18:51.6) in 61st, freshman Natalie Cooper (19:05.0) in 67th, and senior Kazune Shidara (19:39.6) in 76th, rounded out the scoring group for the Aggies.
Freshman Molly Rinefort, in her second start of the season, finished 78th with a time of 19:50.4, freshman Lorena Mendoza finished in a time of 19:52.3, and sophomore Elizabeth Greif crossed in a time of 20:10.3.
UC Davis returns to the course in two weeks for a pair of meets, splitting the squad between the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational in Sunnyvale, California.
CAPITAL CROSS CHALLENGE
Haggin Oaks Golf Course (Sacramento, Calif.)
Winners plus UC Davis finishers only
MEN'S 8K TEAM SCORES
1. Saint Mary's, 48; 7. UC DAVIS, 155.
MEN'S 8K INDIVIDUALS
1. Cormac McCullaugh, Saint Mary's, 24:30.0; 14. Jordy Ceja, UC Davis, 25:16.9; 26. Patrick Fitzgerald, UC Davis, 25:37.8; 38. Luke Dorman, UC Davis, 26:11.6; 43. Jordon Rushing, UC Davis, 26:27.5; 53. Olivier Abundez-Dominguez, UC Davis, 27:06.1; 64. Ryan Dimick, UC Davis, 27:53.8; 66. Jonathan Summer, UC Davis, 28:18.8.
WOMEN'S 5K TEAM SCORES
1. Loyola Marymount, 39; 8. UC DAVIS, 231.
WOMEN'S 5K INDIVIDUALS
1. Chloe Berlioux, Sacramento State, 16:36.4; 33. Muna Alhamad, UC Davis, 18:10.3; 36. Megan MacGregor, UC Davis, 18:14.1; 61. Olivia Goins, UC Davis, 18:51.6; 67. Natalie Cooper, UC Davis, 19:05.0; 76. Kazune Shidara, UC Davis, 19:39.6; 78. Molly Rinefort, UC Davis, 19:50.4; 80. Lorena Mendoza, UC Davis, 19:52.3; 82. Elizabeth Greif, UC Davis, 20:10.3.