Feb. 7, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In the first scored meet of indoor season, Penn State track & field won the day. The #20 women's team dominated Day 1 with 102 points, leading second-place Princeton by 54.50. The #7 men's team leads after Day 1 with 67 points, holding a 19-point advantage over second-place Buffalo.
The Nittany Lion weight throws were exceptional from both the men and women. Senior Melissa Kurzdorfer (Lancaster, N.Y.) won the women's competition, placing herself seventh nationally as she threw a personal best 68-06. Immediately following Kurzdorfer was sophomore Rachel Fatherly (Williamsport, Pa.), who set a personal record with 66-00.50 in a second-place finish overall. In the men's competition, senior Will Barr (Urbana, Ohio) won with a throw of 69-08.00.
"The performances of the night were definitely in the weight throw," said Director and Head Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan. "Will Barr, on his final home throw of his career, had his best ever throw at home so it was just tremendous."
Penn State dominated the women's pole vault, led by freshman Lexi Masterson (Jeannette, Pa.) who set a meet record, clearing 13-01.75. Masterson's performance is the fifth in the nation among freshmen. Freshman Erin Knabe (Voorhees, N.J.) finished second, setting a personal record as she cleared 12-10.00.
"Lexi [Masterson] was great. It's really great to see her break the 13-foot barrier in the pole vault, that's a big deal in the pole vault. Erin [Knabe] had a great performance as well. It was exciting to see them in the jump-off," said Director and Head Coach Beth Alford Sullivan.
The Nittany Lions dominated the long jump, with the two teams combining to score 45 points in the event (24 for the men, 21 for the women). Senior Brittney Howell (Wyncote, Pa.) won with a jump of 18-10.75. Senior Marlene Ricketts (Old Westbury, N.Y.) set a season high with her jump of 18-06, finishing third. Freshman Dannielle Gibson (Nassau, Bahamas) and sophomore Kaitlyn Lopez (Buffalo, N.Y.) tied for sixth, jumping 17-08.75.
On the men's side, junior Brian Leap (Bellwood, Pa.), junior Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.), and freshman Robert Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.) finished 1-2-3. Leap won with a jump of 23-06.75, Waithe jumped 23-02.50, and Cardina cleared 23-01.75.
The men's distance medley relay team comprised of junior Wade Endress (Altoona, Pa.), freshman Robert Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.), freshman Brad Rivera (Bensalem, Pa.) and senior Nick Scarpello (Jamison, Pa.), finished second as they posted a 9:56.94.
The Nittany Lions won the women's distance medley relay, finishing more than four seconds ahead of second-place Princeton. The team of sophomore Tori Gerlach (Perkasie, Pa.), freshman Tal Ben-Artzi (Newe Shaanan Hifa, Israel), senior Marta Klebe (Chesterbrook, Pa.), and junior Leigha Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.) posted the fastest DMR time for Penn State this season, finishing in 11:32.11.
Junior Sancho Barrett (Amityville, N.Y.) won the 60 meter hurdles, tying his season best 7.92 seconds. Freshman Robert Cardina finished seventh as he posted an 8.38.
Senior Brittney Howell and junior Shelley Black (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) finished first and second, respectively, in the 60 meter hurdles. Howell finished in 8.36; Black tied her season best 8.45.
Senior Alex Kenney (State College, Pa.) and freshman Byron Robinson (Chesapeake, Va.) finished third and fourth in the 60 meter dash, posting 6.92 and 6.94 respectively.
Senior Mahagony Jones (Cleveland, Ohio) and sophomore Kiah Seymour (Washington, D.C.) finished first and third in the 60 meter dash, posting a 7.46 and a 7.60.
Day 2 of the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. The team will recognize the senior class in a special ceremony at noon. All events are held on the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track in the Multi-Sport Facility at the corner of University Drive and Dauer Drive on campus. Admission is free.