Oct. 3, 2003

Boone, N.C. - In his best race of the season so far, senior Matt Sciandra finished third with a time of 24:51.4 in Appalachian State's Blue Ridge Mountain Open Cross Country Meet in Boone Friday. He led the Tar Heel's to a third place finish against Appalachian State (ASU), ASU Alumni, Virginia Tech, UNC Greensboro, Elon, Lenoir-Rhyne and Milligan College, who finished in that order.

Sophomore Rob Robertson followed Sciandra in sixth place with a season high 24:56.7. Classmate Jesse Rappole trailed Robertson in 22nd place, finishing the race in 25:52.5

The Tar Heels closed the meet with 100 points, ahead of fourth place Virginia Tech by 12. Appalachian State won the meet with a score of 35, followed by the ASU Alumni team, who earned 74 points.

Other Carolina performers in the race were sophomore Douglas Smith and classmate Bobby Moffat, who finished 39th and 48th, respectively, out of the 78 runners.

The North Carolina cross country team will next compete at the North Carolina Collegiates Meet in Greenville, N.C. on Sat., Oct. 18, at 10:15 a.m.