NORTON, Oh.– After a disappointing last-place finish at last week’s Blast Furnace Invitational, the Robert Morris women’s cross country team heads to Akron, Ohio, for the Tommy Evans Invitational, looking for a block to build on for the upcoming season.

At the Blast Furnace Invitational, the Colonials were led by Tara Richardson, who finished 45th with a time of 16:12.38; less than two minutes off the eventual winner, Ashley Blair, of the Bucknell Bison. The only other top-50 runner for the Colonials was Martha Gardner, finishing with a 49th-place time of 16:33.58.

At last year’s Tommy Evans Invitational, the Colonials finished eighth out of nine teams. The top finisher last year was Samantha Felton, finishing 50th with a time of 20:01.8.

This year will be the 51st annual Tommy Evans Invitational, held at the Silver Creek Metro Park in Norton, Ohio; 30 minutes away from downtown Akron. The women’s collegiate race around the 3.1-mile track has the runners making three loops around the park.

As for the weather that the Colonials will be running in, the forecast predicts a high of 75°, partly cloudy, and a 20% chance of rain.