The Middlebury track & field teams hosted their lone home meet of the season on Saturday, highlighted by a school-record javelin throw by Carly Andersen and a 400-meter dash mark from Alexandra Morris. The women won the meet with 226 points outdistancing second-place Southern Maine's 177, while the men racked up 288 to edge Bowdoin's total of 277. In addition to Southern Maine and Bowdoin, the Panthers welcomed Castleton, Green Mountain and The Sage Colleges to a sun-soaked Dragone Track. The Panther squads return to action next Saturday at the UAlbany Spring Classic.
On the women's side, the Panthers picked up victories in seven events. Morris won the 400-meter dash in a school-record time of 57.23, lowering the mark of 57.51 set in 2013 by Juliet Ryan-Davis. Andersen bested her own school mark with a victorious toss of 145'1", bettering her old distance of 142'11" she established last spring in California. The throw is the fifth-best distance in Division III thus far this spring.
On the track, Halle Gustafson won the 800-meter run (2:22.27), Katherine MacCary led the field to the line in the 5,000-meter run race (18:20.59), while Paige Fernandez was victorious in the 400-meter hurdles (1:06.09). The 4x400-meter relay of Fernandez, Perri Silverhart, Gustafson and Morris won with a time of 4:03.70, while Jane Freda tied for the win in the long jump competition (16'10.75").
During the men's competition, the Panthers were victorious in eight events. Alex Nichols won the 200-meter dash (22.03), Jimmy Martinez claimed the victory in the 400-meter dash (49.82), while Michael Pallozzi sprinted to the 110-meter hurdle title (14.82). Other wins on the track came from Ascencion Aispuro in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:50.11) and the 4x400-meter relay of Martinez, Brandon Cushman, Tyler Farrell and Nichols (3:23.64).
Off the track, John Natalone cleared the pole vault bar with a winning height of 13'11.25", Tyler Chaisson earned the shot put crown (46'11.75"), while Deklan Robinson tossed the javelin to a length of 169'7".
