RIVERDALE, NY (Nov. 3, 2007) – Freshman Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH) placed eighth overall to lead UMass Lowell to second place at the NCAA Northeast Region Women’s Cross Country Championship Saturday afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park.

The finish solidified a fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Championship for the River Hawks, who scored 74 points (8, 9, 10, 19, 28 – 31, 46) and placed behind only Stonehill (45 points).

“Our main goal was to qualify and we got it done,” said UML Head Coach Gary Gardner. “Back in September, I didn’t think we were a very good team, and we didn’t do very well at the New England Championship (on Oct. 6). But we always seem to come together in mid-October. In the scheme of things, second is as good as first because we’re going back to the NCAAs.”

The NCAA Championship is slated for Saturday, Nov. 17 at Missouri Southern State in Joplin, MO.

Bentley placed third with 84 points while Adelphi (131), Southern Connecticut (192) and Saint Rose (222) followed. The race consisted of 118 runners representing 18 schools.

Clark ran the 6K course in 23:17.7 to place eighth and earn a spot on the NCAA All-Northeast Region Team as UML owned places eight through 10. Junior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) placed ninth in 23:25.5 while senior Amanda Sousa (Peabody, MA) took 10th in 23:35.0.

DaLomba also earned a spot on the NCAA All-Northeast Region Team – her third honor in as many years – while Sousa earned a place for the second time in her career.

Freshman Sarah Bonomo (Tewksbury, MA) placed 19th overall in 24:13.9 while junior Sarah Merullo (Wakefield, MA) placed 28th to cap UML’s scoring runners.

Junior Emily Thomas (Foxboro, MA) placed 31st in 24:49.1 and freshman Elizabeth Carr (Randolph, MA) 46th in 25:32.0 to round out the team.

The UML women’s country team, as well as the men’s team which also took second, joins the River Hawk field hockey team in earning NCAA Tournament bids this fall. UML’s men’s and women’s soccer teams are also expected to receive invitations Monday.