Nicole Johnson, Cassie Kearney and Kate Kenny of the 10th-ranked Middlebury women's track and field team recorded first-place finishes on the opening day of the Silfen Invitational. The Panthers continue competition at 8:00 a.m. Saturday on the campus of Connecticut College.
 
In the first event on the track on Friday, Kenny stopped the clock in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:57.16. Audrey Grimes finished in third with a personal-best time of 11:25.93. 
 
Next up in the 800m, Johnson won with a clocking of 2:12.42. Katelyn Pease was two spots back with nearly a four-second personal record (2:13.29), while Emily Bulczynski was fourth with a time of 2:17.44. 
 
Kearney crossed the finish line in first in the 1,500m with a personal-best time of 4:31.86.
 
In the field events, Zoe Wang earned runner-up honors in the pole vault with a height of 3.40m. Madeline Sauders finished in eighth place in the discus with a toss of 32.38m.