SPRINGFIELD, Ore.---Portland All-American Anna Pataki rolled into third place overall with a time of 20:07.7 in the 6K, and the receiving-votes women's cross country team took fourth after defeating several nationally ranked programs at the Bill Dellinger Invitational on Thursday evening. The Pilot women narrowly missed third-place in the team scores, finishing a mere three points behind fourth-ranked Arkansas.

Matt Strangio was first to finish for the No. 19 Portland men, claiming ninth-place overall while recording a new personal best of 23:32.5 in the 8K run. The men's team scored 100 total points to land in fourth-place in the team results.
 
Laura Pellicoro was the next individual finisher for the Portland women, crossing the line in seventh-place with a new PR of 20:18.5 in her 6K debut. Emma Jenkins (20:33.2), Veerle Bakker (20:35.3), and Samantha Prusse (21:15.7) rounded out the Pilots women's scorers, and each collected a new personal record on the night.
 
Mie Gam Nielsen clocked in a new personal best in the 6K at 21:34.4, improving from her previous best time by 20 seconds. McKenna Smith followed at 22:05.3, and shaved nearly 50 seconds off of her last PR in the event.
 
"The team ran great!" said women's head coach Ian Solof. "I'm really proud of the way we competed and our top four were amazing. We beat several nationally ranked teams and showed how strong we are this year."
 
Back on the men's side, Jacob Klemz produced a new PR of 23:35.2 in the 8K, good for 13th overall. Evert Silva came in 18th-place at 23:36.8, and Bradley Peloquin garnered another Portland personal best at 23:37.9, finishing in the 20th position. Zak Kirk closed out Pilots men's scorers in 39th-place with a time of 24:01.9.
 
John Kavulich posted a new PR of 24:17.5, notching a 40 second difference from his last personal best in an 8K race.
 
"Encouraging start, it gives us some positives and some things to work on," said men's head coach Rob Conner. "I think the team did great and everyone knows that a great season is ahead of us if we keep at it. Strangio was impressive but this may be a pack effort this year!"
 
Both of Portland's men's and women's teams will be back in action tomorrow at the Mike Johnson Classic, with the women's 6K slated to begin at 5:00 p.m., and the men's 8K to follow at 5:45 p.m.
 
Bill Dellinger Invitational
September 23, 2021
Springfield, Ore.
 
Men's Team Results—8K
1. No. 7 Oregon 57
2. No. 25 Gonzaga 63
3. (RV) Air Force 89
4. No. 19 Portland 100
5. (RV) Boise State 112
6. Colorado State 151
7. Washington State 182
8. UCLA 189
9. Cal Poly 299
10. Cal State Fullerton 320
11. UC Santa Barbara 326
12. Idaho 359
13. UC Davis 375
14. San Francisco 420
 
Portland Individual Men
9. Matt Strangio (23:32.5) PR
13. Jacob Klemz (23:35.2) PR
18. Evert Silva (23:36.8)
20. Bradley Peloquin (23:37.9) PR
39. Zak Kirk (24:01.9)
42. Leo Donlea (24:03.9) PR
55. John Kavulich (24:17.5) PR
56. Chris Morzenti (24:18.8) PR*
 
Women's Team Results—6K
1. (RV) Utah 38
2. No. 25 Colorado State 93
3. No. 4 Arkansas 112
4. (RV) Portland 115
5. No. 23 Oregon State 170
6. No. 24 Oregon 175
7. No. 17 Boise State 210
8. UC Davis 216
9. (RV) Ohio State 238
10. Washington State 279
11. (RV) San Francisco 284
12. Air Force 302
13. Cal State Fullerton 318
14. UCLA 324
15. Cal Poly 394
16. Idaho 423
17. UC Santa Barbara 464
 
Portland Individual Women
3. Anna Pataki (20:07.7)
7. Laura Pellicoro (20:18.5) PR*
21. Emma Jenkins (20:33.2) PR
26. Veerle Bakker (20:35.3) PR
69. Samantha Prusse (21:15.7) PR
89. Mie Gam Nielsen (21:34.4) PR
116. McKenna Smith (22:05.3) PR
127. Ellie Erikson (22:17.8)
130. Anna-Sophie Meusburger (22:19.1) PR*
153. Teresa Perez (22:53.7) PR*
 
PR* denotes first time competing in the event as a Pilot