The Slippery Rock University women’s indoor track and field team Traveled to Youngstown for the YSU Invite on Friday and Saturday.
Junior Sabrina Anderson led the team on Friday night while breaking her own record in the pentathlon. She topped her record of 3,735 points from early in the year with an event win and an NCAA provisional mark of 3, 774 points.
“Her (Anderson) extreme intensity, fitness, strength and most off all “heart” is an inspiration to the entire team,” head coach John Papa said.
Anderson also hit the PSAC qualifying standard in all five events, including the high jump with a clearance of 1.66 meters, matching her season best and second best mark in the conference this year. She also recorded a career best in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:23.04, which ranks among the best marks in the league this year for middle-distance runners.
The other NCAA qualifier Friday night came from senior Kaitlyn Clark in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.70 meters.
Junior Megan Matrisciano, senior Michaela Kasik and sophomore Maria Darling all reached the PSAC standard in the pole vault and tied for 11th place with clearances of 3.15 meters.
Junior Kelci Yale took the final PSAC qualifier Friday with a 12 place finish in the weight throw with a toss of 13.55 meters.
Papa is impressed with the way his team has come along and improved since the beginning of the season.
“We are stronger, our fitness level has improved, and the team is focused and ready for competition.”
The action continued Saturday morning when senior Jasmine Bailey broke the all-time conference record in the 400-meter dash. She shattered her own school record and ran the fastest 400m time of any woman in PSAC history. She finished in 55.49 seconds which broke the previous PSAC record of 56.27 seconds, set by Lock Haven’s Jennifer Farrow in 2003.
“When she broke the school record the first time we were all impressed,” Papa said. “But this time she broke the school record and the PSAC record, we were all amazed.”
Bailey finished her day by teaming with senior Casaundra Swartzbaugh, sophomore Aerial Dukes and Anderson in the 4×400-meter relay. The team posted a win and a season-best time of 3:52.95, just off the NCAA provisional mark of 3:52.71.
In total The Rock recorded 15 PSAC qualifying marks, two NCAA provisional marks and won two events Saturday. Senior Ashley West picked up the second event win in the high jump with a clearance of 1.65 meters, also hitting a NCAA provisional mark.
The Rock also got top 10 finishes from sophomore Sophie Mazza in the 60-meter hurdles with an eight place finish in 9.19 seconds, Senior Sam Taylor in ninth place in the triple jump with a leap of 11.03 meters and sophomore Anna Frengel with a ninth place finish in the shotput with a toss of 12.59 meters.
SRU will have the weekend off before returning to action at Kent State University on February 20.
“We will do some maintenance/improvement at Kent State and we will be tuned up and ready for PSAC’s on Feb.27-28,” Papa said. “We are going to go to the PSAC championships with the intent to give our best performance of the season.”
