NEWARK, Del. - The Tigers placed five runners among the top ten finishers and held off host Delaware to capture the team title at the Delaware Invitational Cross Country Meet held on the 5K White Clay Creek State Park course Saturday.

Junior Lindsay Warfield led the Tigers with a career best 18:58 to finish second in the field of 114 runners. She was nine seconds off the winning pace set by Delaware's Julia Somers. Those two were the only harriers to run under 19 minutes.

It was Warfield's best showing ever as a Towson runner. It was the first time in her career she had crossed the finish line as the top Tiger in posting her career best by 26 seconds.

"Lindsay is our strongest runner," said coach Roger Erricker. "The course was hilly and that played to her strength. She ran well the week before which gave her confidence. Today she ran a great race."

Five of the Tigers were within 20 seconds of each other, a fact that pleased Erricker.

"We're starting to come together," Erricker said. "We get such a late start because we don't have a pre-season. We continue to improve each week."

Sophomore Liya Kasimova was fifth overall with a 19:11. She was followed by a trio of Tigers in sophomore Katie Ogden (19:17.28), Brandi Gervais (19:17.75) and senior captain Megan DiGregorio (19:18) who placed eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.

The Tigers scored a low 34. The Blue Hens, with three top ten finishers, were second with 39 points followed by St. Joseph's with 52 and Delaware State with 117.

Seven other Division II and Division III schools ran but they were scored separately. Sarah Simonetti of Georgian Court was the Division II-III top finisher, turning a 19:39.

The Tigers are idle next week and won't run again until October 2^nd when they travel to Lehigh for the Paul Short Invitational.