HAYWARD, Calif. – Dominican men's and women's cross country each took second to open its season Friday afternoon in the Holy Names Cross Country Invite at Hayward Regional Shoreline Park.

William Jessup won the men's 8k race with a team total of 28, while the Penguins finished with 37 points to outpace Holy Names by 21 points.

Freshman Jacob Potere led the Penguin men's team to a program first as he finished second with a time of 27:43.9 followed closely by fellow freshman Stefan Mueller with a time of 27:53.4 and then senior Buay Deng with a time of 28:12.2. It was the first time the Dominican men have had three top-5 finishers¬ in a meet in its Division II era. 

Senior Brock Albee crossed the finish line in 33:56.3 to take 13th on the individual board. Senior Jorden Tahquechi placed 15th with a time of 35:38.2 and freshman Deyne Jurie finished 16th with a time of 38:45.2 in his first race.

William Jessup also finished first in the women's 6k with 29 points while Dominican was second with 48 points. Holy Names finished third with 54 points and Mills College was fourth with 94 points.

Sophomore Breanna Herrera led the way on the women's side finishing in 27:37.3 to take fifth overall. Sophomore Emma Digman was close behind with a time of 28:01.3 to take sixth. Junior Tesia De Leon then crossed the finish line in 28:37.7 to place 11th with junior Adela Damian finishing in 28:45.9 to place 12th. The top four finishers for the Penguins were separated by only 1:08.6.

Senior Kelsey Pontius added a 14th place finish with a time of 29:07.4 while junior Rhianon Vertin-Hawkins finished in 33:57.5 to place 23rd.

Dominican will race next at the Kim Duyst Twilight Cross Country Invite on Saturday, Sept. 14, at River Oaks Golf Course.