Mario Ospina placed fifth out of 99 runners for his second top-five finish in as many weeks as the Salem University men's and women's cross country teams competed in the Penn State-Fayette Invite Saturday at rainy Lemont Furnace, Pa. On the women's side, Asia Hines finished 26th out of 72 runners.
 
Ospina, who posted a school-record time in the 8k and finished fifth at the Mercyhurst University Race In The Park last weekend, eclipsed the 29-minute mark for the second week in a row. Ospina ran the course in a time of 28:40, only 12 seconds out of second place and only six seconds off a top-three finish.
 
Dominic Mazzariello (29:00) finished 12th for his second consecutive top 15 finish. Isaiah Harris (30:55) finished 34th, Anthony Cole (35:09) placed 68th, Delmar Jeter (44:31) was 95th and Xavier Engleton (45:28) finished 96th.
 
The women's race was 6,000 meters, the Tigers' longest distance this season. Hines posted a time of 29:13. Nya Jones (32:30) was 43rd, Cerise Dingiswayo (34:03) finished 50th, Keara Wilson-Crockett (37:28) placed 60th and Ashia King (40:44) finished 65th.
 
The meet included teams from five different classifications. Salem and Fairmont State University represented NCAA Division II.
 
Salem concludes regular season competition Friday as the Tigers travel to Athens, W.Va., for the Concord University Alumni Meet.