40 STRAIGHT FOR LOYOLA XC

Dons unbeaten in league dual meets since Oct. 15, 2002.

In a remarkable MIAA A Conference cross country dual meet, on Tuesday, Loyola nipped a game Archbishop Spalding squad 28-29, at Blakefield, for its 40th consecutive victory on league competition.

The top 4 runners nearly sprinted through Loyola’s first hill mile in a blistering 4:59 – 5:02 pace. The race stayed tightly packed through a mile and a half, before Spalding’s Zach Sullivan and Trevor Keen pulled away to finish 1st and 2nd in 16:36 and 16:39, respectively, on Loyola’s demanding 5k home course.

The race however, was only decided in the final half mile. Trailing at that point, Loyola’s Matt Erford and Greg Lange made dominant moves to pull away from Spalding’s 4-5 runners, Paul Inglis and Dean Mertz. Both teams were able to place their top 5 runners inside of 18 minutes.

With the win, Loyola remains undefeated in MIAA dual meets over the last five years, a streak that now measures 40 consecutive wins for head coach Jose Albornoz.

The steak, which dates back to October 15, 2002, will receive another demanding challenge, next Tuesday, when the Dons face arch-rival Calvert Hall, which is undefeated. The Cardinals, which are ranked #1, are 6-0 in the conference, as are the Dons.

Loyola 28, Archbishop Spalding 29
Sullivan        S    16:36
Keen            S    16:39
Orsulak        L    16:46
Jablonski      L    16:48
Spencer        L   17:10
Mackey        L   17:10
Tizard            L 17:23
Erford            L 17:36
Lange            L 17:40
Inglis            S   17:50
Murtz            S 17:54
Flurry            L 18:03
Cooper        L    18:17
Rankin        S    18:25
Foster        L     18:30