WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Senior Eva Paradiso (Burlington, Vt.) finished second overall in 19:11.8 to lead Wellesley College cross country to first place at the 2019 Wellesley Invitational on Friday at Nehoiden golf course. 

Brandeis sophomore Andrea Bolduc (Auburn, Mass.) was the only runner to finish ahead of Paradiso, leading the field with a time of 18:59.2. However, the Judges (31 points) finished four points back of the Blue (27) in the team standings. Regis (Mass.) was third (79), while Lasell University finished fourth (109).

Wellesley junior Grace Cowles (Yarmouth, Maine) took fourth (19:33.5) to join Paradiso in the top-five. The Blue finished with five of the top-ten times to win the event, as Maya Bradbury (Freeport, Maine) took sixth (19:54.9), senior Taylor Mahlandt (Ephrata, Pa.) was seventh (19:57.9), and senior Keiko Hilmo (20:02.4) was eighth. 

Junior April Chu (Fremont, Calif.) finished outside the scoring runners for the Blue but was still in the top ten with a ninth place (20:04.8) finish overall. First year Claire Anderson (Denver, Colo.) was 15th in her collegiate debut with a time of 20:42.1. 

Wellesley will now look ahead to the University of New England (UNE) Invitational on Saturday, September 14, at Rotary Park in Biddeford, Maine.