JOPLIN, MO (Nov. 17, 2007) – Junior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) and freshman Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH), finished 60th and 70th, respectively, to lead UMass Lowell to 21st at the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championship Saturday at Missouri Southern State University.

The River Hawks scored 514 points (60, 70, 110, 136, 138 – 152, 159) and finished tops among Northeast Region teams, edging Stonehill College, which took 22nd with 519 points (76, 87, 105, 116, 135).

Adams State (CO) won the team title with 63 points (3, 7, 11, 18, 24) while sophomore Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific won the individual title in 20:29.1.

The race drew 24 schools and 189 runners.

DaLomba placed 73rd overall and 60th among scoring runners in 22 minutes, 28.0 seconds while Clark placed 88th/70th in 22.40.4.

“Christina and Lyra got out well and ran very well,” said UML head coach Gary Gardner. “The others got out a little bit slow and it hampered us. But overall I’m very pleased. This was Lyra’s third race this season and all but one of our women are coming back next year.”

Senior Amanda Sousa (Peabody, MA) placed 129th/110th in 23:30.9 while freshman Sarah Bonomo (Tewksbury, MA) finished in 157th/136th 24:21.0. Junior Emily Thomas (Foxboro, MA) capped UML’s scorers, placing 159th/138th in 24:23.5.

Junior Sarah Merullo (Wakefield, MA) and freshman Elizabeth Carr (Randolph, MA) rounded out the UML contingent. Merullo placed 173rd/152nd in 24:53.4 while Carr took 180th/159th in 25:14.8.

“Running with three freshmen in a rice like this is not easy,” said Gardner. “I think this certainly bodes well for our future.

UML opens the indoor track and field season Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Northeastern Husky Carnival.