Competition was the name of the game this past Saturday when the women's track team managed to out-battle heavyweight contenders from all over the Northeast to take a close third place (87.5) at the Tufts Invitational, coming in just half a point ahead of rival MIT (87). With nine strong programs facing off, it was a challenging day for the Jumbos, who finished behind the College of New Jersey (194) and Ithaca College (94.5).
The Jumbos topped Amherst (fifth, 75), Springfield (sixth, 66), Wesleyan (seventh, 60), Trinity (eighth, 38), and WPI (ninth, 31).
Although team scoring was not the goal for the second-to-last meet before postseason competitions, the result was likely the byproduct of the team's recent training program. Rather than over-extend her runners, coach Kristen Morwick had them compete in a reasonable number of events to continue training as the postseason quickly approaches.
"We pulled people out of things because I'd rather do well at New Englands," Morwick said. "I didn't really care about winning this meet... In terms of the quality of our performances, we did well and that bodes well for the championships."
"This is one of the biggest meets we've had this season," senior Heather Ballantyne said. "It's really good to have this kind of competition. People have really been pushed."
Senior tri-captain Sarah Deeb proved once again why she is currently first in the nation in the 400 meter dash: Deeb tore up the track for an impressive first-place finish in the 800 at 2:16.74, less than a half- second off of Tufts graduate Caitlin Murphy's (LA '00) stadium record, and missing NCAA provisional qualifying time by only .2 seconds.
"Deeb's amazing," senior Jenn Edelmann said. "I'm not surprised. She can kick butt in any event."
The 800 proved hazardous for teammate junior Lauren Esposito, who was tripped at the beginning of the race. Nevertheless, Esposito recovered to take 13th in the event.
"I give her a lot of credit for sticking with it," Morwick said.
The 1,000 was a big race for Jumbo runners, with all three members of the women's team qualifying for ECAC postseason competition. Junior Colleen Burns led the way, grabbing second place (3:08.41). Sophomore Mary Nodine ran for the first time since the cross-country season, coming off a stress fracture in her femur, and placed eighth (3:13.92). Junior Ellen Adams placed 11th (3:15.72) and will also run in the postseason ECACs at Brandeis in two weeks.
"Ellen is looking better and better every week," Morwick said. "That's very encouraging."
Freshman Emily Bersin had no reason to be disappointed in her second-place run in the 400 (1:03.31), performing well in her first open 400. She will travel to New England Division IIIs for postseason racing.
With members coming off the disabled list, the women's track team continues to gain depth. Junior distance runner Heather Ballantyne ran the 3,000 this past Saturday, keeping up a good pace and taking sixth (11:05.28). She was followed by sophomores Kristen Munson (seventh, 11:10.21) and Kathryn Hughes (eighth, 11:23.13), who picked up important team points in the event.
Senior tri-captain Leslie Crofton ran yet another NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 5000, keeping pace with Springfield's Barb Swallow the entire race for a second-place (17:44.98) finish. Crofton is currently fourth in the nation in the 5K.
"It wasn't my best time [on Saturday]," Crofton said. "I was hoping to go a little faster and qualify automatic."
Fellow Jumbo senior Edelmann cut 20 seconds off her previous time in the 5,000 for a seventh-place run (19:01.79), also qualifying for New Englands in the process.
Although senior long-jumper Nadia Samadani was working with a tight hamstring, she still managed to pull together an impressive third-place finish in the triple jump, performing her season's best (34' 3") and scoring points that helped put Tufts ahead of MIT at the very end of the day.
"This was a big breakthrough for [Samadani]," Morwick said. "She looked good."
Samadani took seventh in the long jump (15' 1.25"), out-performed by teammate Sarah Leistikow (fifth, 15' 10.5"). Sophomore Zerlina Maxwell was the lone high jumper to pull in team points with her eighth-place finish (4' 7.5") in the event.
"She has awesome form," Ballantyne said.
Sophomore Myriam Claudio was all over the field again this weekend, breaking a school record in the pole vault in just her second time competing in the event.
"My goal was to get into Div IIIs and I did," Claudio said.
Claudio's fifth-place vault sent her 8' 6" flying in the air. The versatile sophomore also placed a very close fourth in the 55-meter dash, finishing in a tie with her Ithaca College competition (7.77).
The relays were another strong point for the Jumbo women - the team of Esposito, Bersin, Claudio, and Deeb clinched first in the 4 by 400 meter relay (4:10.17). A good handoff by Bersin to Claudio put the team into second going into the third stretch, when Claudio pulled in front of her College of NJ competition. Deeb kicked into high gear and eased around the track in the final laps.
"That was much more exciting than my first race," Bersin said.
The final running event of the day was the distance medley relay in which the team of freshmen Emily Craighead, Lauren Caputo, Adams, and Nodine ran to a strong fifth-place (13:31.56).
This upcoming weekend, Tufts will host the final meet of the season. Freshman Jess Trombly will return after being out for the major part of the season with a hamstring injury and hopes to use the upcoming weekend to qualify for postseason racing. Morwick plans to concentrate on individual events this weekend, and not to worry about the team score.
With Williams coming to the Gantcher Center this weekend, competition will be high. Joined by Stonehill, Wellesley, and Fitchburg, the Jumbos will attempt to stay on top at home.
Following Saturday's meet, the team will be hosting a reception in the Gantcher Center for family and fans around 5 p.m. Jumbo supporters should feel free to be on hand to celebrate the team's success thus far this semester.
