Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh University
Lehigh Covert Classic
Lehigh wraps up the 18th John Covert Classic
1/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With a week of rest the Lehigh track and field teams didn’t disappoint, as the women (124 points) finished first and the men (82 points) finished second at the 18th John Covert Classic that wrapped up Saturday evening in Rauch Fieldhouse. The Mountain Hawks had several top finishers throughout the two-day meet which included Stephen Tutunjian who qualified for IC4A’s in the long jump and Ashlee Atwell who broke the school record in the pole vault.
“Last week at the end of the meet we met as a team and talked about how we had work to do,” head coach Matt Utesch said. “We needed to step up and I believe we took a step forward this week. We haven’t done everything we need to do to beat Lafayette next week, but we have another full week to work on everything. I expect us to take the next step and take care of business at the dual meet.”
The classic started out with the multi events and the Mountain Hawks were able to start out strong winning both the men’s and women’s. Junior Catherine Bigelow won the women’s multi event with 3,132 points and among the events she took first in included, the high jump, the long jump and a second in the 800 meters. Sophomore Kyle Forrest won the men’s multi event with 4,330 points, which is 200 points more than any of his prior point totals. He took first in the high jump, pole vault, long jump, and 1000 meters.
Atwell earned a second place finish in the pole vault, but her vault of 11’ 6” set a new school indoor record. Other strong field finishers for the Lehigh women were sophomore Alexandra Doersam and junior Charrell Mack who finished second and third in the long jump. Junior Emily Settle finished second in the weight throw with a distance of 50’ 5”.
Doersam continued her strong day by placing first in the 200 meters with a time of 28.86. Senior Kaitlin Grimm matched her result from the Navy Invite and once again finished second in the mile with a time of 5:16.40. Sophomore Idelis Matias set a new personal record in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 9.54.
In the relays, the Lehigh women couldn’t be stopped as they placed first in both the 4X400 and 4X800. Doersam, Smith, Jessica Perone, and Elizabeth McManus finished the 400 in a time of 4:08.63. Alexandra Neville, Jillian Randolph, (Lauren) Pietrosh and Andersen won the 800 in a time of 9:43.20.
Freshman Khaaleedah Smith bounced back from the Navy Invite and finished second in the 400 meters with a time of 1:01.28. Other newcomers that competed well were Brittany Pietrosh, who took second in the 800 and her sister Lauren Pietrosh and Samantha Andersen took second and third in the mile.
On the men’s side junior Kyle O’Connor finished first in the mile run with a time of 4:24.20. Sophomore Ifeanyi Edochie took third in the 400 meters with a time of 52.57. Freshman Vincent Chiusano ran an impressive 800 in a time of 1:58.68. Junior Andrew Jervis, senior Douglas Ridyard, and junior Jordan Inacio took third through fifth in the 5000.
In the men’s field events Forrest followed up his strong heptathlon performance by taking first in the high jump with a jump of 6’ 2”. Tutunjian finished first in the long jump with a distance of 23 feet and qualified for IC4A’s. In the shot put senior Nick Ray continued he great season as he took first with a distance of 51’ 11” and second in the weight throw with a distance of 51’ 8”.
The Moutain Hawks will look to build off their strong performance at the classic and keeping it going against their archrival next week.
“The trick to the dual meet is scoring,” Utesch said. “Obviously if you win more events than them you have a good shot at winning, but another key is in the ones that you don’t win, you must to take second or third.”
Lehigh will stay at home as Lafayette will invade Rauch Fieldhouse on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Lehigh Covert Classic Post-Meet Report
