Dec. 12, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: December 12, 2009 - In their final attempt to shake off the rust before the season opener, the Nittany Lion track and field teams kicked off the 2009-10 campaign on Saturday, participating in the annual Blue/White Intrasquad Meet at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. The "White Team" managed to pull off a narrow two-point victory over the "Blue Team", led by an impressive clearance of 7-1.75 (2.18) by fifth-year senior Ryan Fritz (Parkesburg, Pa.), who has one season of outdoor eligibility remaining, and junior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) swept the men's throwing event. The White Team would also come out victorious on the women's side, thanks to double wins from both Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.) and Anna Muzio (Harrisburg, Pa.).
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"Today was a great meet to end the 2009 year," said Director and Head Coach of Penn State Track and Field Beth Alford-Sullivan. "It looks like both teams are well prepared for an exciting indoor season. I'm definitely looking forward to starting up January 9."
Headlining her team's 62-to-48 victory, Greaves would take the 55-meter dash in 6.94, and come back to win the 250-meters in 30.65, setting a new school record in the rarely contested event. Muzio recorded a pair of wins in the women's throws, posting an effort of 49-3.50 (15.02) to win the 20-pound weight throw, and topping the shot put field with a throw of 43-10 (13.36).
Kovacs would take the men's 35-pound weight with a toss of 57-8.25 (17.58), and record a winning throw of 55-10.25 (17.02) in the shot put - just ahead of teammate Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.),who threw 55-8.25 (16.97) for second.
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Greaves and Muzio were joined by another trio of White Team members in the winner's circle as junior Elizabeth Kearins (Doylestown, Pa.) captured the women's 1,000-meters in 2:56.56, while sophomore Amanda Palenchar (Bradenville, Pa.) bested the pole vault competition with a clearance of 11-8.50 (3.57). Sophomore Courtney Bell (Norristown, Pa.) would also earn a victory on the afternoon, winning the triple jump with a leap of 39-7.25 (12.07).
On the men's side, the White Team received winning efforts from freshmen Emunael Mpanduki (Harare, Zimbabwe) in the 55-meters (6.63), and Danny Pawola (Naperville, Ill.) in the 3,000-meters (8:43.18), as well as redshirt freshman Dan Sandrowicz (Indiana, Pa.) in the long jump (23-3.50/7.10).
The Blue Team recorded an impressive effort in the women's 3,000-meters, going one-two-three with 2009 Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year Nicole Lord (Media, Pa.) leading the way in 9:42.25. Sophomores Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.),and Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) followed in second and third, going 9:44.37, and 9:45.11, respectively. The Blue Team also got victories from senior Brittany Maun (Greenville, Pa.), who cleared 5-8 (1.73) to win the high jump, junior Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.), who recorded an effort of 18-7 (5.66) to win the long jump, and freshman Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas), who took the 55-meter hurdles in 8.72.
Junior Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia) was just off school-record pace in the men's 1,000-meters, winning the event in 2:22.83 - less than a half a second off the Penn State record. Blue teammate and junior Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) finished second in 2:25.17. Other Blue winners included Bradford Lawrence (Voorhees, N.J.) with a clearance of 16-1.25 (4.91) in the pole vault, and Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.), who posted a leap of 48-10 (14.88) in the triple jump.
The Nittany Lions will officially open up the 2010 season on Saturday, January 9, with the Penn State Relays at Ashenfelter Track.