TicketsApril 4, 2009
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati outdoor track and field team won its third straight home meet taking home the Southern Ohio Cup Saturday afternoon at Gettler Stadium. The women's team finished first out of eight teams scoring 338 points, while the men's team finished first out of nine teams scoring 218 points.
For the third week in a row, sophomore Natasha Burse swept the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 relay with times of 11.75, 24.25, and 46.23. Burse's 100 time reached a NCAA regional qualifying mark.
Junior Ashley Arnold brought home the 400 meter title running her lap around the track in 54.82 seconds, before freshman Kathy Klump and senior Megan McAuley finished 1-2 in the 800 meters with times of 2:12.53 and 2:13.64, respectively.
Junior Tamara Masters led a 1-2-3 finish in the 5,000 meters crossing the line in 17:33.43.
Sophomore Kaylon Eppinger, who had already recorded a NCAA regional qualifying mark in the 100 hurdles a week ago, bettered her mark in the event running a first-place time of 13.88.
Running the 3,000 steeplechase for the first time this season, sophomore Lilian Jelimo ran a NCAA regional-qualifying time of 10:38.86, surpassing the standard by more than 12 seconds.
In the field, junior Jasmine Cotten won the high jump and the long with a NCAA regional-qualifying clearance of 6' in the high jump and 19' 6" leap in the long jump, while freshman Mackenzie Fields matched the NCAA regional standard in the pole vault with 12' 7-1/2".
On the men's side, freshman Michael Rutherford continued his strong start to the season winning the 1,500 meters in a time of 3:52.20, while fellow freshman Eric
Finan registered a triumph in the 5,000 meters clocking a time of 14:37.66.
In the hurdles, freshman Terrence Sommerville collected first-place prize in the 110 hurdles clocking a time of 14.15 seconds and junior Jared Martin earned top honors in the 400 hurdles with a time of 53.97.
Junior Brandon Fitch cleared 6' 9-3/4" in the high jump, leading a 1-2-3 Bearcat finish, before Somerville fell just short of the NCAA regional mark with a jump of 23' 11" in the long jump.
Finally, in the throws sophomore Chris Littleton won the discus with a heave of 157' 6".
The Bearcats hit the road for the first time during the outdoor campaign when they travel to Knoxville, Tenn., for the Sea Ray Relays.