BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Tulane's track and field program closed out their first true weekend of the 2014 season on Saturday, as sophomores Jessica Adamson and Mikayla Sonneborn posted wins in heats during the 800 meter dash and the one mile, respectively, during Day Two of the UAB Blazer Invite at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Adamson came up big in the 800 meter dash on Saturday, winning her heat and shaving two-tenths of a second off her personal best. The native of Toronto, who placed second in the same event at the BSC Icebreaker in December after losing a shoe early in the race, notched a seventh-place finish on Saturday with a time of 2:15.31. Her performance on Saturday marks the second consecutive meet in which she has recorded a new personal high. While the meet record was broken by the event title winner on Saturday, Adamson's time was only a little more than a second behind the previous meet high.
Sonneborn, who made her season debut Friday night, won her heat in the women's one mile, finishing in 5:21.39. Overall, her mark was good enough for 17th place. True freshman Sara Kebede was not far behind her in the overall standings, placing 24th with a time of 5:28.27. Kebede placed third in her heat.
"Jessica and Mikayla both raced according to the race plan and the strategy we were asking them to execute," stated the director of Tulane track and field Eric Peterson. "For the people who were on the track in the middle distance events this weekend, today was the end of a busy weekend. Jessica, Mikayla and Sara, along with Michelle (Kreutzberg) and Charlotte (Manogue) ran in quite a few events this weekend. This was really just more of a way for us to measure everyone's fitness and to give them a competitive opportunity after a long holiday break."
In the 200 meter dash, sophomore Lilla McMillan couldn't quite match the success she found last month in the same event at the BSC Panther Icebreaker, where she set the meet record and won the event title. On Saturday, she still managed to post a solid result, as the Mill Valley, Calif., native placed seventh in the event with a time of 24.81, just half a second behind her personal best.
The aforementioned Kreutzberg and Manogue ran in the 400 meter dash, with Manogue notched a new personal best of 1:07.19, while Kreutzberg finished in a time of 1:00.33. Senior teammate Hilary Woods led the Green Wave in the event, finishing in 20th place with a time of 58.80.
Senior Melanie Mainor was one-one hundredth of a meter off her season best in the high jump, as she leapt 1.64 meters (5-4.5). Junior Tiffany Kenney took part in the high jump (1.54 meters or 5-0.5 feet), the long jump (4.96 meters or 16-3.25 feet) and the shot put (9.33 meters or 30-7.5 feet).
Sophomore Tamika Brazzel also competed in the long jump, placing 18th with a leap of 5.56 meters (18-3).
"I felt like we had some good results today, and there are some that we have to work on and improve on," added Peterson. "But it is good that we have another competition under our belt, and we are now in full swing in terms of the indoor season. We are looking forward to the rest of our schedule."
The Green Wave will head to Albuquerque, N.M., in two weekends, as they will compete in the New Mexico Cherry and Silver Invitational on Jan. 24-25.
Fans can follow the Tulane track and field programs on Twitter (@GreenWaveXCTF) or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TulaneXCTF.
Women's 200 Meter Dash
8. Lilla McMillan, 24.81
Women's 400 Meter Dash
20. Hilary Woods, 58.80
37. Michelle Kreutzberg, 1:00.33
61. Charlotte Manogue, 1:07.19 *
Women's 800 Meter Dash
7. Jessica Adamson, 2:15.31 *
Women's One Mile
17. Mikayla Sonneborn, 5:21.39
24. Sara Kebede, 5:28.27 *
Women's High Jump
11. Melanie Mainor, 1.64m (5-4.5)
31. Tiffany Kenney, 1.54m (5-0.5)
Women's Long Jump
18. Tamika Brazzel, 5.56m (18-3)
44. Tiffany Kenney, 4.96m (16-3.25)
Women's Shot Put
57. Tiffany Kenney, 9.33m (30-7.5)