Saturday, April 2, 2011

After a month long hiatus from competition, the Drake women's track and field team opened up their spring campaign at the Spring Razorback Invitational and Central Invite on Saturday (April 2).

Veterans Shine At Spring Razorback Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. -- Sophomore Marissa Smith (Ajax, Ontario) set a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles at the Spring Razorback Invitational.

Smith's time of 14.35 broke her old personal best by two-hundredths of a second. Fellow sophomore Sarah Yeager (Ottumwa, Iowa) was clocked in 15.02 to place 12th.

Throwing in her first meet of the season, junior Megan Pierce-Cramer (Omaha, Neb.),  was fifth in the discus with a toss of 128 feet 2 inches.

Senior Tyse Samani (Kansas City, Kan.) tied for fourth in the high jump leaping 5 feet 3 inches.

Seniors Ari Curtis (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Kara McCartney (Elgin, Iowa) were 11th and 12th respectively in the 800-meters.  Curtis was clocked in 2:15.90 while McCartney crossed the finish line in 2:16.14. Junior Kirsten Lake (Parker, Colo.) was 14th in 2:18.41.

In the 100-meter dash, senior Cambria Pardner (Aurora, Colo.) placed 12th in 12.22.

Senior Katie Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was 13th in the 3,000-meter race clocking in at 10:33.71, while senior Casey McDermott (Newton, Iowa) placed 21st in the 1,500-meters in 4:46.17.

"We knew that this meet would be tough," said Drake track and field head coach Natasha Brown. "Not only is it our first competition since late February but we competed against teams in larger conferences. We learn how to face the giants so we are less concerned with them at the Drake Relays."

Hendricks Second At Central Invite

PELLA, IOWA -- Sophomore Kelly Hendricks (Prospect Heights, Ill.) earned a second place finish in the 100-meter dash to propel the Bulldogs' efforts at the Central Invite.

Hendricks had a qualifying time of 12.82 and finished second in the finals clocking in at 13.07.

Freshmen Celia Venezia (Labadie, Mo.), Allie Heifner (Oregon, Wis.) and Connor Twombly (Baldwin, Kan.) were fourth (2:31.59), sixth (2:32.87) and seventh (2:33.26) respectively in the 800-meters. 

In the 5,000-meters, senior Lindsay Smith (Lakeville, Minn.) was fourth  with a time of 18:16.21.

The Bulldogs will travel to Columbia, Mo. next Friday and Saturday (April 8 and 9) for the Tom Botts Invitational.