Deskins wins javelin title to lead Lehigh on day one of Patriot League Championship

Photo by: Don Paul

Deskins wins javelin title to lead Lehigh on day one of Patriot League Championship

5/1/2015 6:11:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

Results

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Lehigh women's track and field team finished the first day of competition at the two-day Patriot League Championship meet Friday at Army's Shea Stadium. Senior Carly Deskins earned the javelin title to highlight the first day of action.

"We're in the middle of the pack after the first day, but I think we've set ourselves up very well heading into competition tomorrow," said head coach Matt Utesch. "We have a lot of points up on the board and have a lot of kids in key positions to earn more points tomorrow. The team race is packed up pretty tight right now and we're going to have to fight and scratch for every point, but that's what we came here to do."

The Lehigh women wrapped up day one in fifth place with 31 team points. The Mountain Hawks trail first-place Army (49.50), Bucknell (46), Holy Cross (36.50) and Navy (34.50) with a majority of the scored events set to take place Saturday on the final day of competition.

Lehigh took four of the top eight spots in the javelin to grab an impressive 18 team points, led by Deskins who earned the title with an ECAC-qualifying toss of 42.78 meters. Sophomore Melody Walthers followed with an ECAC-qualifying throw of 41.70 meters to grab fourth place, while sophomores Sarah Cassidy (38.10 meters) and Meghan Reilly (38.08 meters) finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

"Carly did a phenomenal job in the javelin and got the lead early and held on as the rounds continued to go by," said Utesch. "I'm super happy for her as a senior. Half of the place winners from that event were Lehigh women and that is really great to see and bodes well for our future."

Lehigh's 4x800 meter relay team of sophomore Marissa Karl, freshmen Tyler Scanlin and Hannah Leskow and senior Victoria Mullane finished third after crossing the finish line in an ECAC-qualifying time of 8:57.27 to secure six team points.

Senior Natalie Bates sits in first place in the heptathlon with 2,895 points after the first four events, while junior Gabrielle Wardle follows right behind in second with 2,756 points. Cassidy sits seventh with 2,558 points. The final three events of the heptathlon will be completed Saturday.

Sophomore Katie Hatler finished second in the 100 meter hurdles preliminaries to advance to Saturday's final heat. Hatler crossed the finish line in a new personal-best and ECAC-qualifying time of 14.28 seconds.

Sophomore Kiana Wright finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 5.32 meters that was good for five team points. Classmate Michaela Bubak finished seventh in the hammer throw to grab two team points with a toss of 43.93 meters.

The Patriot League Championship meet wraps up Saturday from Army West Point's Shea Stadium.

Women's Track and Field Standings after day one of PLC