Feb. 6, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Seniors Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) and Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.)' and sophomore Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.) all won events to lead the Nittany Lion effort on day one of the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup, Friday evening at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Other opening day highlights included third-place finishes in the pole vault from Caitlin Fairbairn (Coatesville, Pa.) and Jocelyn Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) and second-place finishes from both the men's and women's distance medley relays.
Greaves clocked a provisional-qualifying 7.40 to win the 60-meters, while Barber scored a provisional-standard 8.33 to win the 60-meter hurdles. Hunter, who automatically qualified in the pentathlon last weekend, clocked 8.45 to finish second behind Barber in the 60 hurdles, and won the long jump with a leap of 20-1 (6.12). Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) would also earn runner-up honors, thanks to a mark of 59-5 (18.11) in the weight throw.
On the men's side, the DMR's second-place finish highlighted the evening, as Michael Syrnick (Philadelphia, Pa.), Mike Malizia (Flourtown, Pa.), Tim Johnson (New Cumberland, Pa.) and John Mahoney (Richboro, Pa.) notched a second-place finish with a season-best mark of 9:53.00.
In the vault, Fairbairn and Witmer tied for third with identical clearances of 12-1.50 (3.70). Elsewhere in the field, Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) posted a silver medal finish in the long jump with a mark of 19-6.25 (5.95).
Action continues at 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Live results can be found at www.gopsusports.com.