Brewers Shine at Matthew Vassar Twilight Meet

POUGHKEEPSIE – The rainy evening did not stop the Vassar College women’s track team from shining Friday evening in action from the annual Matthew Vassar Twilight Meet from the Weinberg Track.
Senior Mollie Schear was one of the many standouts for the Brewers on Friday evening, as she posted a 13.24 in the 100 meter dash to earn the victory. She wasn’t done there though, as she set the school record in the hammer throw with a toss of 14.46 meters. In fact, she was the first Vassar women’s track and field athlete to compete in the event.

Junior Saparrja Nag was third in the 100 meters on Friday, as she registered a time of 13.57 for her best time of the 2016 season. Later in the event, Nag helped the Vassar 4×400 meter relay earn the win, as she teamed with Alex Gittens, Lucy Balcezak and Molly Crowell.

In the 100 meter hurdles, the Brewers picked up yet another win early in the meet, as Alaina Toatley logged a time of 17.86 in her first collegiate hurdle race. In the 800 meter run, Vassar saw one of its best runners of the 2016 season step up yet again, as Gittens ran away from the field for the win thanks to clocking a personal-best and Vassar-best this year of 2:17.50, as she qualified for the ECAC Championships.

Junior Samara Roman-Holba also recorded a new personal-best time in the 800, as she crossed the line for sixth place with a 2:35.55. Schear was back at it with her final race Friday in the 200 meter dash, as she earned the win with a 26.94, just missing her personal best.

In the 5000 meter run, freshman Elise Matera finished second overall with a personal best time of 18:46.01, while Kate Lawson was fifth in the event with a time of 19:32.04, a personal best by over 30 seconds.  Freshman Megan Horn also ran a personal best time of 19:50.08 for ninth place.

VC had a big contingent in the 1500 meter run, and all Brewer competitors had a big race. Junior Lucy Balcezak took home third place in a field paced by two All-Americans, as she recorded a time of 4:47.36. Sophomore Savannah Wiman booked a new personal-best time in the 1500 meter run, crossing the line in fifth with a 4:53.60.

Freshman Christiana Prater-Lee booked a 5:00.80 for 10th place, and Sarah Muskin recorded a 5:09.96 for 11th place. Sophomore Olivia Martin also ran a season-best time of 5:18.17 for 12th place. In the field events, freshman Sophie Sharp tied the school record in the high jump with a leap of 1.48 meters, taking second place.

Fellow freshman Annelise Depman took home the long jump Friday, earning the win thanks to a jump of 4.95 meters, while Sharp was second in the vent with a 4.73m leap. Depman wasn’t done, as she set the new school record in the triple jump with a 10.59 meter jump, chalking up her second win of the day.

Vassar will travel to Pittsford, NY to St. John Fisher College on May 14 for the Cardinal Last Chance Meet at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex.