Gowell Claims Second Individual Title of Season, Fontaine Wins Women's Meet

RINDGE, N.H. (October 4, 2001) - The Franklin Pierce University men's and women's cross-country teams swept the Franklin Pierce Invitational held on the Ravens campus this afternoon.

FP sophomore Merideth Fontaine (West Warwick, R.I./West Warwick) claimed medalist honors in the women's meet as she completed the five-kilometer course in 24:20 to lead the Raven women to their first team victory of the season.

FPC, who posted a team score of 19, defeated Landmark College, of Rutland, Vt., with 49 points and Rivier College of Nashua, N.H., with 62.

The Lady Ravens claimed four of the top five spots as sophomore Christine Morschauser (Utica, N.Y./Notre Dame) finished in second behind Fontaine with a time of 26:20, while senior Jenn Proulx (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) finished third in 28:19. Landmark's Megan Speedie claimed fourth in 28:33, while FP freshman Brooke Dechesne (Boxford, Mass./Boxford) rounded out the top five with a time of 29:00. Christen Hogan was Rivier's top finisher as she posted a time of 29:44 to take seventh.

On the men's side, FP senior Ken Gowell (Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill) earned medalist honors for the second time this season as he completed the five-mile course in 26:54, to lead the Raven men to their second team title of the season. For Gowell, it marked his fourth top-five and fifth top-ten finish in five meets this fall.

FPC, who posted a team score of 17, out-paced Rivier with 50 points and Landmark with 64.

The Ravens claimed six of the top seven individual spots as sophomore Mike Fortier (Barre, Vt./Spaulding) finished behind Gowell with a time of 28:49 in his first collegiate race. Senior Nate Kennedy (Fitzwilliam, N.H./Monadnock) took third with a time of 30:35, while Rivier's Tim Hogan finished fourth in 31:06. FP sophomore Jeff Joslyn (Sterling, Conn./Plainfield) rounded out the top five in 32:00. Landmark's top finisher was Jamie Rabinavich with a time of 34:46 to take ninth.

The Franklin Pierce runners return to action on Saturday, October 13, when they compete in the Regis College Invitational at 10 a.m.