KEENE, N.H. --  Freshman Samantha McKosky (Deep River) became only the second member of the Eastern Connecticut State University women's cross country team to earn All-Little East Conference honors in the last 17 years when she ran to a seventh-place in a field of 87 runners at the 2015 Little East Conference Cross Country Championships Saturday at Keene State College.

In a race run in perfect running weather, McKosky was joined among the Top 20 finishers by junior Mariah McPhee (Bristol), who placed 19^th overall in helping the Warriors match their third-place finish of a year ago – the team's highest finish since the competition expanded beyond four teams 17 years ago.

McKosky becomes the program's second All-LEC achiever since 1998 and fourth freshman among its nine All-LEC performers. She was timed in 19:30 over 3.1 miles, a 6:17 pace, with McPhee at 20:37 (6:39 average). Eastern's other three scorers included junior captain Sofia Amaral (New Milford), freshman Megan Albert (Plantsville) and sophomore Ariel Smith (Stratford). Amaral was 25^th overall (21:01), Albert 31^st (21:18) and Smith 35^th (21:29).

McKosky ran most of the race in front of the second pack, which trailed the lead pack comprised of four Keene State College by a significant amount. With a half-mile remaining, McKosky turned it on to outlast Keene senior Molly Schaefer by four seconds and earn the final All-LEC position. In similar fashion, McPhee pushed it over the final third of the race, passing several competitors to finish 19th overall and score 15 points.

Keene State College shut out the field, totaling the minimum 15 points in a 51-point win over the University of Southern Maine. Eastern totaled 92 points. The title was the 16^th straight for the Owls.

Eastern men fifth in seven-team field

Senior Lee Cattanach (New London) became the first member of the men's program to run to All-LEC recognition as many as three times when he followed last year's individual title with a fourth-place finish in a field of 71 over 5,000 meters. Cattanach, who also achieved the honor as a sophomore in 2012 with a fifth-place finish, ran a 5:20 pace to clock at 26:35 and place first among those not wearing a Keene State College jersey.

Keene State runners took the top three spots -- two of them freshman – in totaling 21 points in a comfortable 43-point win over the University of Southern Maine. The team title was the fourth straight for Keene and 15^th in the last 19 years. Eastern was fifth in a field of seven teams.

Omar Abdelsame (Plainville) became the highest-ranking freshman in 16 years, capturing 14^th place overall as the Warriors' No. 2 runner. Abdelsame was timed in 27:34 (5:31 pace), recording the best finish by a freshman since Michael Chilly was tenth in a 46-person field in 1999.

Also scoring for the Warriors were sophomore Cooper Goslin (South Windsor), senior Taylor Flynn (Old Saybrook), and first-year sophomore Ryan Jones (Suffield). Goslin was 23^rd overall (28:04), Flynn 32^nd (28:44) and Jones 34^th (28:45). Jones, sophomore Noah Hallisey (East Lyme) and junior co-captain Chris Armstrong (Bolton) crossed the finish line virtually as one.

Cattanach ran with the front pack, looking strong through three miles, but dropped to fourth and had sizeable yardage to make up 4 1/2 miles into the race. According to head coach Kathy Manizza, Goslin came out strong and maintained his pace despite significant foot pain to cross the line among the top 32 percent.

The race was the final one in the four-year career of team co-captain Steven LaFlamme (Moosup), who was Eastern's seven finisher, clocking a time of 29:33 to take 39th place overall. LaFlamme is the only runner on either the men's or women's team to earn a letter each of the last four years. 

Eastern competes at the NCAA Division III New England Regionals Nov. 14 at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford at 11 a.m.

Cross Country
Little East Conference Championships

at Keene, NH

Men's Results
Run over 5,000 meters
Team Scores

1. Keene State College 21; 2. U. of Southern Maine 64; 3. Plymouth State U. 81; 4. UMass Dartmouth 96; 5. EASTERN CONN. 98; 6. UMass Boston 202; 7. Rhode Island College 203.

Individual Results
Top 7 (All-Conference)

1. Phillip Parent (K) 26:14; 2. Hayden Patterson (K) 26:26; 3. Ben MacDonald (K) 26:30; 4. LEE CATTANACH (E) 26:35; 5. Sam Brunnette (P) 26:39; 6. Warren Bartlett (P) 26:50; 7. Mark Rabasco (K) 26:51.

OTHER EASTERN FINISHERS

14. Omar Abdelsame 27:34; 23. Cooper Goslin 28:04; 32. Taylor Flynn 28:44; 34. Ryan Jones 28:45; 35. Noah Hallisey 28:47; 36. Chris Armstrong 29:04. 39. Steven LaFlamme 29:33; 44. Joe Rainville 29:55; 52. Mike Underwood 31:11; 53. Chris Burkle 31:12; 63. Ryan Adams 32:51.

Women's Results
Run over 3.1 miles
Team Scores

1. Keene State College 15; U. of Southern Maine 66; 3. EASTERN CONN. 92; 4. UMass Dartmouth 94; 5. Plymouth State U. 120; 6. Rhode Island College 144; 7. UMass Boston 199.

Top 7 (All-Conference)

1. 1.      Kait Wheeler (K) 18:24; 2. Samantha Goldsmith (K) 18:24; 3. Carli Davis (K) 18:30; 4. Lindsay Such (K) 18:55; 5. Katelyn Terry (K) 19:25; 6. Brooke Davis (S) 19:27; 7. SAMANTHA McKOSKY (E) 19:30.

OTHER EASTERN FINISHERS

19. Mariah McPhee 20:37; 25. Sofia Amaral 21:01; 31. Megan Albert 21:18; 35. Ariel Smith 21:29; 40. Christina Gosselin 21:50; 43. Evalin Brautigam 21:59; 47. Kelsey Nixon 22:14; 51. Haley Knox 22:25; 54. Kassandrah Banks 22:40; 66. Olivia Grella 23:37; 71. Amy Carmellini 22:57.