SAN DIEGO, Calif.  --- Senior Kelsey Gasner placed fourth overall and the top-ranked Biola University women's cross country team placed third and the men's team took sixth among a mostly NCAA Division I field at the San Diego State University Aztec Invitational at Balboa Park on Saturday morning.

The Eagle women finished in third place with 64 points overall, just three points behind second-place Long Beach State University and nine behind team winner Brigham Young University.

Biola had its top seven runners finish in the top 23 of the 83 runner field in the main race. Gasner led the way, crossing the line in 18:15.1, just 13 seconds behind the winner from Long Beach State. Senior Katie Thede and junior Nychele Fischetti finished 11th and 12th respectively in 18:41.4 and 18:44.1. 

Rounding out the top seven were freshman Alexandra Sciarra, who took 20th overall in 18:54.6, senior Sarah Brooks in 22nd in 19:04.7, freshman Chelsea Janzen in 23rd in 19:04.8,  and junior Carissa Bowman finished 27th in 19:10.4. 

On the men's side, the Eagles finished fifth out of six teams with four Division I squads placing ahead of them. Biola's top finisher was senior Ryan Richert, who took seventh overall with a time of 26:08.6. Freshman Danny Ledesma finished in 28th place overall in 27:19. Junior Brian Aukshunus was the Eagles' third finisher in 31st place overall with a time of 27:24.3.

Rounding out the contingent were senior Carter Williams (35th - 27:38.9), sophomore Spencer Lyle (39th -27:44.4), and freshman Kyle Norman (55th - 29:20.5).

Biola returns to the course on Saturday, Oct 2, running at the Willamette University Invitational in Salem, Ore.