LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall women's cross country team welcomed Elizabethtown to Baker Campus on Friday evening for the Diplomats' home invitational. Nine runners took to the start line for F&M as the Diplomats challenged their local foes in a two-mile race during which the Blue Jays ultimately prevailed by a tight 26-32 score.

The Diplomats had three of the top five finishers overall in the race, but the depth of Elizabethtown tipped the final team score in the visitor's favor. Annalise Kauffman was Franklin & Marshall's top finisher as she crossed the line in a time of 12:21.3. That mark was just one-tenth of a second ahead of first-year Tara Silverman (12:21.4) who finished in third. Katie Scott beat Elizabethtown's third finisher to the line with her time of 12:43.4 to claim her spot amongst the top five finishers.

Emily Jones came across the finish line in a time of 13:23.2 to make it four top 10 placers for the Diplomats before the rest of the came across the finish in a pack. Georgia Hodgson (13:33.1), Anna Atticks (13:41.4), Abby Bachman (13:41.6), and Jordyn Collie (13:45.5) swept the 12th through 15th positions, while Riley Schlosser finished with a time of 15:09.6 in her collegiate debut.

Women's cross country will return to action in exactly one week as the Diplomats take part in the Little Three Meet which is set for Friday, September 6. Dickinson will serve as the host of the 2024 Little Three Meet which additionally features Gettysburg. That race will get underway at 6 p.m. in Carlisle.