PITTSFORD, NY – Led by first-year Maria Khalifeh's top-10 finish, the University of Rochester women's cross country team opened the 2024 season with a sixth-place result at St. John Fisher's sixth-annual Terry Rodenbeck Invitational on Friday evening at Fisher's Old Golf Course.
 
Khalifeh earned UR's top result with a time of 16:08.09 on the four-kilometer course, placing ninth in the field of 117 competitors. Riley Joseph added another top-25 finish for Rochester, coming in 23rd with a time of 16:40.8.
 
Alyssa Horng, Ariane Yedidia and Kara Goldstein rounded out the Yellowjackets' top-five runners, each placing in the top 65 of the field. Horng ran a 17:32.2 4k to finish 53rd, while Yedidia placed 59th, clocking in at 17:44.8. Goldstein followed close behind in 61st, crossing the finish line in 17:48.6.
 
Isabella Doty and Talia Christopher were Rochester's next two finishers, coming in 64th (18:05.6) and 67th (18:16.9), respectively, while Julia Lantner made it eight 'Jackets in the top 75 with a 71st-place result and a time of 18:25.0.
 
SUNY Geneseo's Ari Reback took home the individual title, crossing the finish line in 15:07.5, while the Knights also earned the team title with all five scorers finishing in the top 15.
 
Geneseo won the invite with 41 points, while RIT and St. John Fisher rounded out the top-three teams with 57 and 90 points apiece. Rochester placed sixth in the nine-team field with 152 points, 28 points shy of fifth-place Nazareth.
 
Following a week off, Rochester next competes at the Hamilton College Short Course Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 11:00 a.m. in Clinton, NY.