HAVERFORD, Pa.—Graduate transfer Caroline Alcorta (Springfield, Va.) made her Villanova debut in a big way by winning the individual title at the Main Line Invitational on Friday afternoon.  Alcorta ran the women's three-mile race in a blistering 16:03.0 to record the fastest time ever by a Wildcats runner on the Alumni Course at nearby Haverford College.  Villanova boasted the top seven finishers in its first meet of the 2018 season. 
 
There was a gap of just 52.2 seconds from one to seven in the Wildcats lineup.  Alcorta crossed the finish line just over seven seconds in front of runner-up Nicole Hutchinson (West Vancouver, B.C.), whose time of 16:10.5 was exactly 10 seconds faster than the one she posted in the meet last season.  Freshman Lydia Olivere (Wilmington, Del.) came in third in her collegiate debut with a time of 16:31.6, while sophomore Lauren Ryan (South Yarra, Australia) was fourth (16:48.4). 
 
Freshman Reilly Seibert (Syosset, N.Y.) and junior Ann Campbell (Mission Hills, Kan.) had identical times of 16:53.3 to place fifth and sixth, while senior Bella Burda (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) was seventh in 16:55.2.  Rounding out the lineup were juniors McKenna Keegan (West Grove, Pa.) and Amari Onque-Shabazz (Plainfield, N.J.), who tallied times of 18:06.0 and 18:49.4, respectively. 
 
Villanova competed in the Main Line Invitational for the 16^th consecutive year.  The previous fastest time by a Wildcats runner in the meet was 16:08.03 by Emily Lipari in 2013.  Alcorta and Lipari are now the only ones to break 16:10 on the course.  Hutchinson now owns Villanova's third and seventh fastest times in the meet. 
 
Friday's meet was a successful start to the season for the Wildcats, who are currently ranked No. 9 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national rankings.  Villanova will next compete at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on September 28 in Madison, Wis.