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By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
May 2, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team finished fourth this afternoon at the BIG EAST Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio, as they swept competition in the 5,000-meter run.
WVU swept the event as senior Marie-Louise Asselin finished first (16:31.04) and sophomores Kate Harrison and Sarah-Anne Brault finished in second (16:45.79) and third (16:48.99), respectively.
“Coming into the year we had big team goals for indoor track and cross country, and we knew that the outdoor BIG EAST Championships was potential a meet that we would slip back in,” coach Sean Cleary admits. “However, these girls over the last 48 hours refused to be concerned with whom we redshirted and they exceeded everybody’s expectations. I am as proud leaving this meet as any BIG EAST Championship that we have ever left.”
Senior Karly Hamric led the team in the finals of the 1,500-meter race. After placing fifth in the preliminaries, the Bruceton Mills, W.Va., native, returned in the finals to capture first place after crossing the line with a time of 4:28.02. Junior Jessica O’Connell also ran well, finishing in seventh (4:31.00), while Kaylyn Christopher finished in 10th (4:33.69).
? The Mountaineers’ 4x800 relay team of Keri Bland, Hamric, O’Connell and Christopher also had an excellent showing as they broke the school record with a fourth-place finish after crossing the line with a time of 8:47.95.
Senior Keri Bland continued to race well as she placed second in the finals of the 800-meter run, with a time of 2:06.79.
In the high jump, freshman Sydney Cummings made her conference championships debut tying for seventh place with teammate junior Katelyn Williams. The duo jumped 1.70 meters for the finish, while Natasha Redman placed 14th (1.65 meters).
Junior Terina Miller placed 19th in the hammer throw after throwing 45.41 meters.
WVU will return to action on Monday, May 10, at the Swarthmore Last Chance Meet, in Swarthmore, Pa.