Matadors Fare Well at Indoor Season-Opening UW Invitational

Friday, January 28

Seattle, Wash.

All Day

California State University at Northridge

UW Invitational

Matadors Fare Well at Indoor Season-Opening UW Invitational

1/28/2011 10:53:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field

SEATTLE, Wash. - Cal State Northridge had a solid indoor season-opening meet Friday and Saturday at the UW Invitational at Dempsey Indoor. The Matador women performed well in the 400 meters taking five of the top-15 spots.

The meet opened with the pentathlon and heptathlon and newcomers Olympia Jewett and Alisa Jenkins both performed well in their Northridge debut in the pentathlon. Jewett finished sixth with 3,401 points and Jenkins was eighth with 3,291. Senior Sherrina Lofton made her first appearance in over a year and 17th with 2,895 points. Fellow senior Desirae Gonder was a place behind Lofton in 18th with 2,812 points.

In the heptathlon, Donovan Toban also made his Matador debut and placed 15th with 4,765 points. Jonathan Talkington finished 21st with 4,128 points and Kevin Finley, also making his CSUN debut, was 22nd with 2,777 points.

The 400m was a highlight on the track for the women. Five Matador sprinters finished among the top-15 led by Lofton's fourth-place finish in an indoor-best :55.60. Jackie Harrison was fifth in a career-best :55.67 followed by Precious Watkins (:56.93) in ninth, Ashley Frazier (:57.28) in 12th and Jasmine Cox (:57.74) in 15th. Shane Mullany-Banks ran :59.02 to finish 20th and Lauren Michaels was 28th in 59.12.

Also for the women, Watkins was ninth in the 60m final in a time of :7.62. Sierra Brooks ran :7.73 to place 25th in the prelims and Michaels matched her best with a time of :8.20. In the 60m hurdles, Jenkins finished a CSUN-best 27th in :9.22, Jenkins was 35th in :9.49, Michaels was 40th in :9.82 and Jordan Dufault was 46th in :10.57.

In the distance events, senior Lilyana Morejon finished fourth in the 5000m in 16:55.44 which was just a shade off her indoor best in the event.

In the field events, Dufault was 27th in the high jump with a best of 4-10 1/4. Ese Ntekume was 14th in the long jump with a mark of 17-5 1/4 followed by Dufault who was 31st at 15-7 1/2. Tiana Webberley finished 18th in the pole vault with a top height of 11-3 3/4 while Jenna Hulion was 26th with a height of 10-6. Whitney Hooks was 17th in the shot put with a best of 42-5 1/2.

For the Matador men, newcomer Sean Alfino finished sixth in the 60m final in a CSUN best time of :6.96. Carl Horsley, also making his debut, was just behind in seventh in a time of :6.97. David Reid was 11th in :7.07. Several Matadors ran in the prelims with Darquis Rucker (:7.09) taking 21st, Michael Woodham (:7.12) finishing 22nd, Brandon Linton (:7.29) placing 37th, Tawaun Lucas clocking a time of :7.38 and Jory Rucker running :7.40.

Michael Woodham finished fourth in the 60m hurdles in :8.21 which for him is an indoor lifetime best. Newcomer Noah Blue ran :8.73 and finished 19th in the prelims.

Four Matadors competed in the 200m with Reid taking seventh in a time of :21.97, Darquis Rucker finished 20th in :22.68, Trevor Carroll finished 23rd in :23.13 and Lucas was 43rd in :23.89. Horsley also proved to be a factor in the 400 meters as he finished eighth in a time of :49.14. Carroll finished 24th in :49.99 and Bobby Workman was 39th in :52.05.

In the distance races, Steven Gonzales finished 31st in the 800m in a lifetime-best 1:57.10 while Jerrid Lewis was 36th in 1:59.64. in the 5000m Juan Olea was 10th in 15:32.45 and Hunter Hays was 13th in 15:39.14.

A small group competed in the field events as senior Matt Todd finished 11th in the pole vault with a top height of 15-5. Itua Oiyemhonlan was 15th in the high jump with a best of 6-11/4 and Jory Rucker was 14th in the long jump at 21-8.

Newcomer Jose Aviles was the lone CSUN thrower and finished 14th in the shot put with a best of 44-5 1/2.

- GO MATADORS -