Women’s Track & Field Third at SNHU; Trio Compete at Conn. College as Well
MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 16, 2022) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's track & field team participated in a pair of meets this weekend. On Friday, a trio took to the track at the Silfen Invitational, hosted by Connecticut College, highlighted by an eighth-place finish in the 800 meters by senior Alana Thompson (Westampton, N.J.). On Saturday, the full team was in action at the Penmen Relays, hosted by Southern New Hampshire, where the Ravens took third, out of 16 teams.
At Connecticut College, it was a pair in the 800 meters and one in the steeplechase for the Ravens. In the 800, Thompson ran a 2:20.81 to finish eighth, with a time which should move her into the top-five in the Northeast-10 Conference, while fellow senior Alena Masterson (Pelham, N.H.) took 32nd in 2:31.67. Meanwhile, graduate student Julia Cormier (Northwood, N.H.) covered the 3000 meters of the steeplechase in 12:33, to finish 15th.
On Saturday at SNHU, Franklin Pierce chalked up 94 points to finish third. The host Penmen took first place with 173 points, while Southern Maine was second with 115.5 points.
Junior Nyjah Young-Bey (Montclair, N.J.) was able to shine in the sprints, as she won both the 100-meter (12.35) and 200-meter (25.08) dashes. The 200-meter mark improved on a time from earlier in the season which already led the NE10, while the 100-meter time should put her in the top-five in the league at that distance.
Thompson and Masterson were both back in action at SNHU after their work in the Nutmeg State on Friday. In the 400 meters on Saturday, Thompson took second in 1:02.08, while Masterson was fourth in 1:03.70. At double the distance, sophomore Meghan Sheline (Southington, Conn.) placed ninth in the 800, with a run of 2:28.41. At double the distance again, sophomore Jenna Parent (Tyngsboro, Mass.) was seventh in the mile, at 6:22.
As for those who jump over things while running, sophomore Katie Peterson (Derry, N.H.) finished sixth in the 400-meter hurdles after getting around the track in 1:19.03. In the steeplechase, junior Victoria Van Houten (Wantage, N.J.) ran, jumped and splashed her way to a third-place finish in 12:18.
Per usual, Franklin Pierce found plenty of points in the field events as well. Among the various jumping events, senior Paola Brena (Queretaro, Mexico) was third in the high jump after clearing 1.60 meters to match her season best. Teresa Deasy and senior Stephanie Phoenix (Wallingford, Conn.) both got over 2.75 meters in the pole vault to equal their season bests as well and tie each other for second. Brianha Bouchard went 4.72 meters in the long jump to place eighth.
On the throwing front, it was a one-two in the shot put, with sophomore Tyra Felton (Sterling, Mass.) throwing 11.52 meters and senior Samantha DeSouza (Sebago, Maine) right behind at 11.39 meters, with the latter moving into the top five in the NE10 in the event. Graduate student Katerina Dajia (Aurora, Ontario) was eighth in the shot put at 10.11 meters, and doubled up and took fourth in the discus (36.25m), while senior Jessica Brewster (Castleton, Vt.) was sixth in the javelin (32.00m).
The Ravens will be back in action next Saturday, April 23, at the Sean Collier Invitational, hosted by MIT in Cambridge, Mass.