Reiser Leads Illini MXC at Griak

Saturday, September 24

Minneapolis, Minn.

12:20 PM CT

University of Illinois

Roy Griak Invite

September 24, 2016 | Men's Cross Country

Team places 10th overall

Full Results

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Jesse Reiser ran the 8,000m at the Roy Griak Invite in 25:47, placing 30^th overall, as the Fighting Illini Men's Cross-Country squad placed 10th out of the 29-team field. The University of Portland earned the meet's team title with a score of 69.

Despite the wet and muddy conditions of the course, Head Coach Jake Stewart believes it will ultimately benefit the Illini when they return to the course for Big Ten Championships on October 30.

"I think we got a lot out of the meet by seeing the course," said Head Coach Jake Stewart. "We're going to be so much better prepared in six weeks when we come back up here for Big Tens. I think we saw this course in its worse condition. I don't think anything we see going forward will match some of the stuff we had to deal with today. I'd rather see that today, and come back in six weeks and see a better course, than have a pristine day today, and come back in six weeks and have something similar to what we had to race in today."

Making his season debut, Reiser managed to overcome the course conditions, as the sophomore used a 5:12 pace to finish in 30^th overall to lead the Orange & Blue.

"I think he set the race up well," Coach Stewart said. "He got himself to a good point at 6,000m. He was in the top-15 or -20 at that point and didn't finish the race out in a way that he probably wanted to, but he ran well, and gave himself a chance to have a big day. It's just a matter of closing the race out and finishing in a way that he's capable of. He's got something to build off of now over the next three weeks."

Senior Sean Pengelly and red-shirt junior Alex Gold were the next through the chute for the Illini, placing 42^nd and 56^th, respectively.

Ranking 122^nd through the initial 3,000m, Pengelly closed the gap on competition in the following 2,000m to move into the top-50 at the 5,000m mark. Gold used a similar surge between the 5,000m mark and the finish line, as the Deerfield, Illinois product moved up 30 spots, finishing with a time of 26:07.

"I think the course really suits those guys," explained Stewart. "I know Sean was very excited all week to get up here and run on it. It was a very challenging day, with footing, mud and moisture, and it played right into the way Sean runs and, in a lot of ways, the way Gold runs. Alex [Gold] probably had as good of a day in cross-country that he's had for us, and he can be really encouraged by that. Those two guys are very even runners. They're guys that may not get off the line as quick as some guys, but, given the opportunity and challenging conditions, they're going to be able to move through the course of the race because they're strong guys."

With the meet scoring the top-five on each squad, freshman Jon Davis and red-shirt freshman Zach Dale crossed the finish line within three seconds of one another, Davis completing the race in 26:20 and Dale in 26:23.

"Zach had a good day today," said Stewart. "He didn't have an opener that he wanted to have two weeks ago at Kentucky. He rebounded well today and ran a race that is much closer to where he's at physically. And for Jon, this was a great learning experienced for him as a true freshman. He's going to be better because he was in this sort of environment."

Although the outcome did not meet the team's expectations, Coach Stewart remains focused on progressing towards their full potential.

"We have the ability to be very good and we can't lose sight of that. We have to continue to work towards that, but we're not there yet, and we have to keep working. The result today wasn't indicative of the team that we are. There's a lot we can build off of over the next three weeks. And, when we're back up here in five weeks, we'll be better-prepared and ready to go.

The Orange & Blue will be back in action in six days, as they run at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite on Friday, September 30 at 4:00 p.m. central time.

Team Scores