CUMBERLAND, ME. 10/16/04 - Senior All-America Dave Bridgewater's (Unionville, Conn.) first place finish led the Keene State College to the men's team championship at the University of Southern Maine Cross Country Invitational held at the Twin Brooks Course in Cumberland, Me., on Saturday.

Bridgewater posted a winning time of 26:30 on the 8K course. The Owls placed two other runners in the top-10 with Joseph Hegarty (Springfield, Mass.) in 7th (27:17) and Pat Ard (Kingston, N.H.) finishing 10th (27:33). Ryan Gough (Billerica, Mass.) (11th/27:35) and Matt Haley (Middleton, Mass.) (20th/27:51) round out the top scorers for KSC.

Keene State won the meet with 49 points in the 12-team field. Tufts was second with 70 points.

Senior Stephanie Gibson (Sanbornton, N.H.) finished eighth (23:33)on the 5K course to lead the Keene State women's team to a 4th place finish with 125 points. Tufts won the title in the 12-team field with 42 points.

Other top finishers for the Owls included Laurie Yorgensen (Wethersfield, Conn.) (25th/24:44), Jennifer Adams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) (30th/24:52), Stephanie Westcott (Bellows Falls, Vt.) (34th/25:02), and Shannon O'Brien (Tilton, N.H.) (38th/25:09).

Trinity's Christina Kane won the individual title with a time of 22:47.

After a two-week break, the Owls will compete Oct. 30 at the LEC/Alliance Meet at UMass-Dartmouth.