Feb. 2, 2008
| UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: February 2, 2008 - The Penn State women's track and field team claimed a team victory by over 60 points at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup on Saturday at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, taking the meet crown for the fourth time in the meet's eight-year history, and for the fourth time in the last five years. Event wins from senior Dominique Blake (Bronx, N.Y.), senior Lena Bettis (Riverside, Calif.), and the women's 4x400-meter relay highlighted the day for the Lions, as well as an NCAA provisional qualifying performance from senior Briene Simmons (Decatur, Ga.) in the 800-meters. The men's team also faired well in a stacked field, taking third behind Missouri in first, and Cornell in second.
Blake took full advantage of her last appearance at Ashenfelter Indoor Track, winning the 400-meters in a provisional-qualifying 54.31. Blake came up just one thousandth of a second shot of her season best 54.30, which currently stands seventh on the NCAA descending order list. Junior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) took runner-up honors in a lifetime-best 54.60, while sophomore Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) claimed fourth place in 54.90 - also a personal record.
Blake would also anchor the 4x400-meter relay to its fourth victory in as many weeks, as well as its second-provisional performance. This week's version of the 1600-meter relay, including Simmons on the leadoff leg, freshman Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.), and junior Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.), with Blake on the anchor, clocked a provisional-qualifying 3:39.19. The Lions' 3:38.21 for last weekend is the fifth-fastest performance in the NCAA.
Individually, Barber and Greaves went two-three in the 200-meters with identical times of 24.49. Barber ended up getting the nod for second in the tie break, as she ran 24.4849, to Greaves' 24.4853.
Simmons was out from the gun in a hot women's half mile race, clocking 2:07.84 for second, a season best for Simmons, and the third-ranked mark in the NCAA. Simmons race featured three provisional qualifiers, as Jesse Carlin from Penn took first in 2:06.57 and Trisa Nickoley from Missouri placed third in 2:08.02. The Lions were also solid in the men's 800, as senior Mark Miller (Shillington, Pa.) took second in 1:51.11, and freshman Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) finished third in 1:51.98.
Both Miller and Williams also ran legs of the third-place 4x400, which ran 3:13.20 - the second-fastest time by the Lions all season. Williams opened up for the Blue and White, and handed off to Adam Stanowick (Solon, Ohio), who passed the baton to Miller, before senior Ron Jules (Tom's River, N.J.) closed on the anchor.
In the field, Bettis also made good on her final home indoor appearance, taking the triple jump with a season-long leap of 40-11.50 (12.48). Freshman Gabriela Baiter (Greenlawn, N.Y.) proved there's a big future in the Nittany Lion jumps, as the rookie took third with a mark of 40-03.50 (12.28). The Nittany Lions notched second and fourth-place finishes on the men's side, with Clarence Smith (Coatsville, Pa.) taking runner-up honors with a jump of 48-9 (14.86), and Ryan Taylor (Spanish Town, Jamaica) finishing fourth with a mark of 48-5.25 (14.76).
Also in the field, sophomore Brittany Maun (Greensburg, Pa.) cleared a career-best 5-7.25 (1.71) to take second in the high jump, with freshman Biana Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) tying for fourth with a clearance of 5-5.25 (1.66). Junior Ryan Fritz (Parkesburg, Pa.) took fifth in the men's competition, topping out at 6-9 (2.06).
Freshman Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) was the top finisher in the throws, taking fifth in the men's shot put with a collegiate personal-best 55-00.75 (16.78). Junior Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) led the women's throws, posting a sixth-place finish in the shot with a toss of 47-02.50 (14.39).
In the distances, junior Claire Percival (Sarnia, Ontario) posted a PR 4:55.14 to take fifth in the women's mile, while sophomore Leah Rosenfeld (Ridgefield, Conn.) finished seventh in the race with a career-best 4:55.80. Junior Kathryn Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh, Pa.) also registered a career-best, running 9:50.79 to take fourth in the 3,000-meters.
The Lions will hit the road next weekend for the first time all season, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Elite. Action begins on Feb. 8, and concludes Feb. 9. Full recaps of each day's events can be found at www.GoPSUsports.com.
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