Posted: 04/07/2012
EASTON, Pa. - The Lehigh track and field teams enjoyed a strong effort at Lafayette Saturday, as the women earned a 116-87 win and the men were victorious, 112-91. The women won 12 events while the men captured 10 to continue their success against Lafayette; it’s been two full years since the squad’s last loss to the Leopards (including indoor and outdoor).
“Our seniors, all four years went out on a pretty high note, completing a 12-meet sweep against Lafayette in cross country, indoor and outdoor in 2011 and 2012,” said Lehigh head coach Matt Utesch. “We hit our stride today and we showed the kind of competitors we are. We ran very hard and fast. It was great meet for us.”
On the women’s side, senior Alexandra Doersam led the way in the 100m dash, with a time of 12.14 to win the event. The Mountain Hawks swept the top three in the 200m dash, led by junior Kristin Slotnick (25.14), with classmates Khaaleedah Smith (25.59) and Melissa Knapp (25.85) finishing second and third, respectively. Slotnick also won the 400m dash (57.39) while sophomore Jessica Kendzor was victorious in the 800m run (2:15.71).
The Mountain Hawks swept the 1500m run, led by junior Julia Perry (4:42.31). Freshman Savanna Plombon was stellar in the 5000m run with a time of 18:10.72; she impressed out in front in windy conditions, coming in first by nearly 10 seconds.
Sophomore Brooke Astor won three events - 100m hurdles (14.94), 400m hurdles (1:03.89) and high jump (1.57m) - in a strong all-around effort.
The Mountain Hawks took the 4X100m relay (48.04) while sophomore Rebecca Duhamel won the discus throw (41.62m). Junior E’Lana Lemon and sophomore Jimil Ataman came in first and second in the hammer throw, posting ECAC scores of 54.10m and 52.97m.
For the men, sophomore Samuel Bernitt won the 1500m run with a time of 4:01.33, while freshman Simon Voorhees (4:03.38) and senior Evan Flach (4:03.93) were right behind them. Also winning their events were sophomores James Miller in the 5000m run (15:56.67) and Seth Robinson in the 110m hurdles (15.31).
Lehigh swept the 3000m steeplechase, led by junior Lyle O’Brien’s time of 9:43.37. The Mountain Hawks took first, second and third in the high jump, led by senior Stephen Rumizen (1.98m). He was followed by senior Alexander Maurer (1.93m) and freshman Adeolu Adesida (1.82m). Maurer won the long jump (6.77m), followed by sophomore Ryan Paquin (6.75m), while senior Stephen Tutunjian was victorious in the triple jump (13.48m) with Paquin finishing second (13.22m).
Freshman Ryan Rhodes placed first in the shot put (14.36m) followed by junior Christopher Buck (14.35m) and sophomore Benjamin Beauchamp (13.02m). Beauchamp won the discus throw (40.12m), just ahead of junior Ricky Okoye (39.45m), who went on to win the javelin throw (57.97m).
“I am so pleased with the way the men competed,” said Utesch. “We swept eight events which was unexpected. Our guys really brought it today. I’m really proud of them. They weren’t intimated and didn’t let the windy conditions affect them.”
While Lehigh was dominating in Easton, two Mountain Hawks were racing on the west coast as seniors Evans Kosgei and Katherine Pierce competed at the Stanford Invite.
Kosgei raced in the 5,000-meter run and placed 17th with a time of 14:29.13 while Pierce ran in the 10,000-meter run and placed 31st with a time of 35:05.94. Pierce's time qualfies her for ECACs as her time also crushed her own school record of 35.42.68 which she set last season.
Both Kosgei and Pierce will now wait to see if their times hold up to qualify for NCAA's as the top 48 best times out of the East Region will advance.
"It was a couple of really long days with travel and the time difference," said assistant track and field coach and head cross country coach Debbie Utesch. "Katherine did a tremendous job and we are hoping that her time holds up. Evans unfortunately had some bad luck with the heat he got placed into, but it was a phenomial opportunity to race against the top collegians and post-collegians in the country."