Webb, Yslas headline Tech's efforts Friday at Vanderbilt Invitational
Kara Webb and Lacy Yslas had huge improvements in their career-bests, two of the nine PR marks that fell Friday for the Tennessee Tech women's track & field team at the Vanderbilt Invitational.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The first day of the Vanderbilt Invitational Friday netted nine career-best performances for the Tennessee Tech women's track & field team, coming from nine different individuals.
Kara Webb, a freshman from New Market, Tenn., smashed her career-best mark while running way ahead of the pack in winning her heat of the 1,500-meter run. Webb crossed the line in 4:49.46, a full 12 seconds better than her previous best.
Lacy Yslas [photo below left], a junior from Sparta, Tenn., also had a huge jump in her career-best with a toss of 105 feet, seven inches in the javelin. The effort topped her previous best by 18 feet.
Webb was one of three Golden Eagles with PR marks in the 1,500-meter run. Kathryn Forbes and Brittney Brown also sliced time off their previous bests.
Tech had three runners notch PR times in the 200-meter dash, with two of them capturing first place in their heat. Kelli Keck, a sophomore from Crossville, Tenn., won her heat in 26.20 seconds, just a second shy of the Tech school record. Justine Phillips, a junior from Lake City, Tenn., won her heat in 26.46. The third PR came from Elisa Tanksley in 27.40.
Rebecca Cline and Meghan O'Donoghue each established new PR times in the 5,000-meter run, the final event of the day on the Vanderbilt track. Cline, a sophomore from Spring Hill, Tenn., covered the distance in 19:02.78 while O'Donoghue, a sophomore from Talbott, Tenn., was clocked at 19:48.53.
Among other action that didn't beat PR marks, Keck finished 15th in the long jump, Madison Borden placed 14th in the shot put, Rebecca Forbes was one spot behind Yslas in 10th place in the javelin, while Haley Wennerstrom placed 12th.
In men's events, Mike Mahon placed 27th in the 1,500-meter run while Daniel Francis paced five Golden Eagle runners in the 5,000-meter run with a 23rd place showing with Sterling Smith two spots back.
The Vanderbilt Invitational is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. Saturday with field events, while running events get underway at noon.
