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Defiance, OH — Just two weeks removed from a program-record 11th-place finish at the NAIA Indoor National Championships (click here for related article), the Goshen College women’s track squad put up a third-place finish at the Defiance College Dick Small Invitational, opening its 2007 outdoor season in the process.
Goshen recorded a total 103 points at Saturday’s 12-team invite, finishing behind only Cornerstone University (165 points) and Mid-Central Conference rival Bethel College (138 points). The Leafs captured a total five first-place and three second-place finishes on the day, as senior Laura Herr hit the NAIA National Qualifying mark by winning the 10.000-meter run in a time of 38:58.20.
“We had good weather conditions to open the outdoor season and our women’s team made the most of it,” said Rick Clark, Goshen head coach. “We felt pretty good about finishing third in this meet. We had a number of outstanding, outdoor-opening performances.”
Herr’s win was tops on the list by terms of relative importance, but was outdone in quantity by sophomore Deanna Kronk. Kronk, one of nine athletes to compete at the national championships two weeks earlier, captured first-place results in both the hammer throw (134 feet, 9 inches) and the shot put (37 feet, 11 inches). Her sling of 108 feet, 3 and ½ inches in the discus was good for a fourth place effort.
“Deanna Kronk had an outstanding day as a double-winner in the throws,” Clark said. “Her hammer toss was within a half foot of the school record.”
Sophomore Laura Harnish obliterated the 10-team field in the 5,000-meter race, finishing in a time of 18:45.03. A big first-place finish was also turned in by Rachael Baker, who claimed the honor in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:28.00. It was Baker’s first collegiate first-place finish in any track and field event.
“Our women really dominated the middle- and long-distance events today,” Clark said. “Laura Herr led the charge by easily winning the 10,000 while teammate Laura Harnish led the entire race in the 5,000-meter run. A surprise victory came from Rachael Baker when she took the lead in the 800 and held on for the win. That winning performance came after a second-place finish in the 1,500 (Baker ran a 4:56.70) earlier in the afternoon.”
Sophomore Abri Houser joined Baker with second-place efforts in both the 100-meter hurdles (:16.21) and long jump (15 feet, 2 and ½ inches), while Goshen’s 4 X 400 relay team of Baker, Houser, Harnish and sophomore Rachel Versluis took home third in a time of 4:24.35. Versluis also placed in the pole vault competition (sixth overall, 10 feet even) while Houser finished fifth in the 200-meter dash (:27.60) and freshman Whitney Turner fourth in the 1,500 (5:11.40). In addition to her first-place effort in the 5,000, Harnish finished fourth in the 800 (2:29.50).
“Abri had another busy yet successful meet and Rachel Versluis vaulted well to finish sixth in the event,” Clark said. “Our depth came into play with Whitney Turner picking up a fourth-place finish in the 1,500 and Laura Harnish finishing fourth in the 800.”
For a complete viewing of individual and team performances and results from the Dick Small Invitational, click here.
Goshen will now prep for its only home meet of the outdoor season, as the squad will host the annual Goshen College Invitational next Saturday. Events are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Eigsti Track & Field Complex.
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Sophomore Deana Kronk 