Women Start Strong in OPening Meet at UMass-Dartmouth

Worcester, MA- In the first meet of the outdoor season the Worcester Track and Field team journey to UMass-Dartmouth to compete in the Corsairs invitational. The Lancers were led by sophomores Ciara Adu-Addo (Worcester, MA) and Jadah Stokes (Chicopee, MA) who grabbed the second and third place spots in their events spot as Worcester State recorded 48 points on the meet.

On a cold day the track and field was in its prime to heat up as the Women were ready to hit some marks. Adu-Addo would claim second in the long jump on a mark of 5.29m just edging out fellow sophomore Alexis Strong (Southington, CT) at 4.91m as well as taking third in the 200m with a time of 27.11. Joining her in the half curve of the track was senior Carly Gilson (Grafton, MA) who grabbed 15th with a 28.34, along with a fourth place finish in the 400m at 62.75. Junior Bridget O'Malley (Leomisnser, MA) in 31st with a 29.68 would also join Gilson on the full circle with a 13th place finish in a time of 66.41 alongside sophomore Meghan Driscoll (Mansfield, MA) in 39th at 30.62 in the 200m and 26th in the 400 with a 78.71. Sophomore Mia Guinto (West Boylston, MA) in 45th at 31.58 and junior Erin Condon (East Bridgewater, MA) in 50th with a 32.77. First year Emily Bodwell (Lakeville, MA) would also compete in the 400m for 19th with a time of 69.07.

In the high jump pit sophomore Lauren Condike (East Longmeadow, MA) would claim 6th with a height of 1.41m and 12th in the triple jump with a 8.93m leap, while first year Alexandria LaPointe claimed 14th with a 1.36m height in the high jump. The throwing circle would equal success as Stokes claimed second in the shot put with a distance of 11.35m and third in the Hammer on a 37.68m toss alongside an 8th place finish in the discus for 28.20m. Graduate student Sthanisha Moreau (Taunton, MA) would take home 8th in the shot put on a 10.11m mark while claiming 28th in the hammer on a distance of 22.18m and18th on 24.10m in the discuss. Sophomore Luana Grau-Moura (Marlborough, MA) would also do triple duty as took home 24th in the hammer on a 26.30m fling and 26th in the shot put with an 8.25m final record with a 10th place finish in discus at 27.73m. Another triple participant was junior Ava Piccolo (Tewksbury, MA) who took home 14th in the shot put with a 9.04m and 26th in the hammer on a distance of 23.55m and 22.09m in the discus for 24th. Joining the throwing fun fest was first year Charlotte Collins who landed in 27th with a 8.17m in the shot, 18th in hammer with a 29.98m and 14th in the discus with a 26.34m. First year Angela Crognalo-Torrez (Walpole, MA) claimed 29th in the discus with an 18.95m mark alongside sophomore Morgan Merrell (Leicester, MA) who claimed 13th with a 26.53m toss.

In a spring treat the Javelin quartet was in force for the opening meet as first year Angela Crognalo-Torrez (Walpole, MA) took home 14th with a 27.34m just edging out senior Arianna Constant (Leominster, MA) who grabbed 17th with a 25.36m. Junior Ava Vasquez (Methuen, MA) grabbed 28th in her first meet with the program on a 20.69m as fellow junior Condon returned to action after an eventful soccer and basketball season to land 32nd with a 18.54m launch.

In a return to track action Strong would claim 10th in the 100m with a 13.34 leading first year Arianna Farrell (Wilmington, MA) who landed in 17th with a 14.09, just edging out Guinto by nine tenths who came in 37th at 14.99. Wrapping up the 100 was junior Zoe Callahen (Arlington, MA) who finished in 44th with a 17.47. 

In the distance side of the track junior Aubrey Tunnera (Marlborough, MA) finished in 38th in the 1,500 with a time of 6:02.83 leading the junior running group of 43rd place Claudia Symonick with a time of 6:12.43 and 46h place Jillian McMenemy (Westborough, MA) in a time of 6:28.94. Junior Kelsey Gendreau (Seekonk, MA) would go for a bit more distance, racing in the 10,000m for a third place finish of 46:17.02. The 5,000m found first year Cassandra Dirsa (Bolton, MA) claiming 28th in a time of 22:18.72 just behind fellow first year Samantha Edwards (East Longmeadow, MA) with a 21:07.33.

Worcester State is back in action next Friday when they compete at Regis in the Regis Spring Classic.