RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Irvine women's cross country finished third out of 22 teams at the UC Riverside Invitational Friday morning at the UCR Agricultural Operations Course.
 
The Anteaters scored 104 points to come in behind San Francisco and Stanislaus State. It was their second top-three showing in as many meets this season after winning the Vanguard Invitational on September 5.
 
Junior Kaia Schmidt led the 'Eaters, completing the 6K course in a personal-record 20:38.4. She made her way into the top-20 at the 4K mark and passed 12 more runners over the final 2K to take seventh in a field of 220. Schmidt saw a nearly eight-second improvement to move up one spot to No. 8 among UCI's all-time leaders.
 
Junior transfer Emma Hadley had an impressive UC Irvine debut as she clocked a personal-best 20:47.6, which ranks 10th in program history. Hadley placed 11th overall in the race.
 
Sophomore Liana Lee, who won the Vanguard Invitational three weeks ago, was next across the line for the Anteaters in a PR 21:02.1 (27th). Sophomore Rachel Moen (21:03.0) and freshman Grace Baxter (21:03.2) also notched 6K lifetime bests to place among the top-30.
 
Seniors Makena Castillo (21:10.5) and Nicole Contreras (21:11.4) were 39th and 42nd, respectively. Sophomore Anna Soares (21:37.7), junior Marjourie Lopez (21:40.6), and junior Malia Leupold (22:30.6) rounded out UCI's lineup. Contreras' and Soares' times were personal bests.
 
Three 'Eaters also competed in the 5K Open. Freshman Avery Hutchison came in at 18:35.3, shaving over a minute off her time from the Vanguard Invitational. Sophomore Breckyn Kornachuk added a PR 18:43.1, while sophomore Arden Keeton (19:31.9) made her collegiate debut.
 
UC Irvine will be back in action at the Bill Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Oregon, on Friday, Oct. 10.