LISLE, Ill. --- Led by three top nine finishers, including Sean Smith (Winnebago H.S./Winnebago, IL) who placed second overall, University of St. Francis registered its best team finish of the 2009 season by placing third out of 18 teams at the Benedictine University Eagle Invitational on Friday.

Smith ran a time of 26:44 on the rain-soaked 8K course at Community Park, finishing 11 seconds behind top runner Kyle Murray of Marian University (Ind.), who posted a 26:33.  A total of 176 runners finished.

Juniors Adam Yost (Sparta H.S./Sparta, MI) and Ian McDowell (Lansing Community College, MI/Lansing, MI) fought each other for the No. 8 overall spot with Yost prevailing, 27:10-27:11. McDowell garnered the next spot, while junior Michael McElyea (Joliet Junior College/Illiopolis, IL) was 21st (27:27) and freshman Phil Rizzo (Evergreen Park H.S./Evergreen Park, IL) was 41st (28:20).

That earned the Saints 71 total points to place behind frontrunner North Central College (46 points) and Marian (53).

USF is off until Oct. 24 when it competes in the Grand Rapids, Mich. Invitational, the final meet prior to hosting the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships on Nov. 7.