BU sweeps Albany, Northeastern

Freshman Iannacci takes women's race; Diekfoss solid again

By Mike Lipka

Media Credit: Troy Sexton

Jochen Diekfoss (center) won the 8K race with a time of 25:13 on Friday.

Before yesterday's first race against the State University of New York at Albany and Northeastern University, freshman Jessica Iannacci had only experienced college cross country for one team practice. So it was understandable that when she found herself crossing the finish line at Franklin Park on Friday before anyone else, she was a little surprised.

"I didn't expect to win," she exclaimed, despite having run 40 miles a week this summer. "I was just thinking 'stick with the front pack, and wait to see if I have anything left.'"

Iannacci was not the only woman to succeed, as Boston University took the top four spots in the race, even though they were racing two other teams. Jessica finished the 5K (3.1 miles) in 19:03, and was followed by sophomore Dina Mijuskovic (19:13), senior Sherida Bird (19:17) and junior transfer Jessica Walton (19:21). The team beat the State University of New York at Albany, Walton's alma mater, 16-42, on Friday.

The Northeastern blowout was slightly more impressive, as BU won, 16-43. Sophomore Leticia Makin rounded out the BU top five at 19:41, finishing seventh overall. Meaghan Shaw, Northeastern University's top runner, finished fifth, and Albany's best, Nicole Susser, was sixth.

After winning the America East the last three years and finishing 16th in the NCAAs last fall, such dominance is becoming expected of this top-tier program. What makes it even more impressive, though, is that the Terrier women graduated six of their top nine runners from a year ago.

BU coach Bruce Lehane said the team is "very much a new group" that needs to "re-establish" itself on the national scene. With freshmen like Iannacci, new runners like Mijuskovic, transfers like Walton, and solid returning runners like Bird, the team looks like it will come together rather nicely.

Lehane was happy with the way they ran on Friday, but said, "We've got to do better." He thinks the best challenge for this team would be to win the America East, and the biggest obstacle to that goal will be the University of New Hampshire.

Captain Bolpar Vinh is very optimistic.

"We've won the last three years, and we're going to win this year too," Vinh said.

While the women's team was impressive, the men were just as solid. Junior Jochen Diekfoss picked up where he left off last year, reaching nationals individually. He remained consistent on Friday, outrunning Albany's Andy Allstade for the win.

Like the women, the Terrier men swept both Albany and Northeastern this weekend. The Huskies struggled, as BU had five runners finish before the first Husky crossed the line. BU won the dogfight, 15-42. The Albany race was a little closer, as the Terriers won 24-31. Behind Diekfoss, who ran a 25:13 on the 8K (5 mile) course, came seniors Wong (3rd, 25:28), Jones (4th, 25:52), Liam Revell (6th, 26:09), and Paul Maurice (10th, 27:02).

Unlike the women, there are no new faces on the men's team. With the toll that graduation took at the end of last year, some runners are going to need to step up for this team to regain their conference title that they lost last year to New Hampshire.

"The front three are real strong, and the fourth ran real well today, but the fifth spot needs to be solidified," Lehane said. Paul Maurice and Danny Coval are the key factors because both are very talented, and need to battle injuries and time off to get back to top form.

Home course advantage will be a big boost down the stretch as well for both the men and the women, as both the America East meet and New England meets take place at Franklin Park, BU's home course.