Huntington News

Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: News Staff File Photo/Zach Virgilio The women's track & field team took home several first-place finishes in coming in second at the New England Championship Friday and Saturday.

The women's track team placed second overall at the 2007 New England Championships at Boston University last Friday and Saturday. The Huskies accumulated a total of 107.5 points, with several athletes setting new personal bests. They were bested by Connecticut, which won the meet with a combined 153 points.

The Huskies were led by seniors. Zara Northover, who won the shot put (14.88 meters) and also set a new personal best in the weight throw (17.80).

Northover said she was proud of the team's performance at BU after Pennsylvania State.

"Everyone went out and competed hard," she said. "We had the opportunity to prove people wrong and show the true Husky colors."

Senior Aquila Williams-Judge won the 55-meter hurdles (8.00) and sophomore Olivia Kalinowska, took first in the pole vault (3.72 meters).

Among these first-place finishes came several top-five placements.

In third place behind Kalinowska in the pole vault was sophomore Dara Samuel, who set a new personal best of 3.42 meters and freshman Brooke Borso, who placed fifth (3.27 meters). Behind William-Judge in the hurdles was junior Tramaine Shaw (8.04 seconds).

Senior Shanae Henry placed second in the 55 meter dash and set a new personal best of 6.94 seconds with freshman Consondria Walker placing fourth (7.18 seconds). Henry also set a new personal record in the 200-meter dash (24.03 seconds) while Walker placed third in the long jump (5.68 meter) with freshman Celeste Holder placing seventh (5.46 meter).

Sophomore Amber Gibney set a new personal record in the 800-meter preliminary run with a time of 2:14.82. She went on to place ninth in the final heat (2:17.66) of the same event. In addition, senior DaviAnn Brown placed sixth in the 500-meter run (1:15.75) with senior Natalie Pennicooke placing seventh (1:16.15).

The 4x400-meter relay team consisted of Brown, Gibney, Henry and Shaw, who placed fourth overall with a time of 3:52.47. The 4x800-meter relay team consisted of senior Erin Ballard, freshman Brittanie McDonald, junior Laura McCloskey and Pennicooke. They placed third overall with a time of 9:21.15.

After the team's disappointment at Penn State two weekends ago, head coach Sherman Hart expressed his satisfaction with his runners.

"The real NU team showed up at this meet," he said. "They showed passion and competed with passion."

Kalinowska, along with several other Huskies, qualified for the East Coast Championship, which she says is the second biggest meet behind nationals. She anticipates the high level of competition at the meet, which will take place this weekend at the Reggie Lewis Center.

"There is definitely community and team spirit on the track," she said. "You can't get at that level without passion."

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