The GW men’s cross-country team beat Liberty University and the University of Maryland to finish second at the George Mason Invitational Saturday behind a dominant Virginia Tech squad. David Talbird was the top GW finisher, placing eighth with a time of 26:22.

This was an important meet because (Virginia) Tech is a very good team, head coach Jim Hopkins said. It served as a preview of how fast the conference will be in upcoming races.

GW proved it can hold its own, as the team finished strong despite battling injuries to the team’s number two and three runners.

The GW women’s cross-country team finished fourth behind Liberty, Virginia Tech and Maryland Saturday at the invitational. Mackenzie Jessen ran well, finishing first for GW (23rd overall) while managing a personal best time of 19:59.

-Lauren Silva