April 9, 2006
Irvine, Calif. - Individual performances by the Titan women outshone the Fullerton men Friday night at the Big West Challenge Track and Field Meet at UC Irvine.
Kelly MacLean won the pole vault with an NCAA qualifying mark of 15 feet, 5 1/2 inches, Karina Ortiz broke the school record while finishing second in the steeplechase and Lacey Welborn doubled in the triple jump (38 feet, 2 inches) and long jump (18 feet, 3 1/4 inches on her final attempt) to lead Fullerton to a third-place showing in the women's competition.
A double by Matt Turner in the high jump (6 feet, 8 3/4 inches) and the 110 meter hurdles (14.67) paced the men, who finished fourth in a tightly contested meet.
Ortiz ran the steeplechase in 11:12.88 to nip Carolyn Ellis' record set earlier this season.
Other highlights for the women included personal bests in the sprints by Antonia Vega (12.19 for second in the 100 meters) and Yewande Findley (12.22 in the 100 for third and 25.09 in the 200 for fifth), who crossed the wire first in the second section of both events. The Titans also swept the hurdles with Dinah Clark winning the 110 in 14.60 and Destany Cearley taking the 400 in 62.65. Dalya Taman trailed only teammate MacLean in the pole vault at 11 feet, 11 3/4 inches.
Other highlights for the men included one-two finishes in the 100 by Jon Pratter (10.78) and Marques Barosso (10.84) and by Eric Kwong (54.92) and Richard Hernandez (55.49) in the 400 hurdles. B. J. Vandrovec won the pole vault at 16 feet, 3/4 inch and the Titans won the 4x100 relay. Fullerton placed second (Aaron Williams 24 feet, 9 inches), third (Turner 24 feet, 3/4 inch) and fourth (Garrett Myers 23 feet, 8 3/4 inches) in the long jump with Turner missing an NCAA qualifying mark by 1/4 inch with his personal best. He also placed third in the triple jump at 46 feet, 8 inches. Barosso posted a personal best at 21.71 to take third in the 200.
Final team scoring:
Women - UC Santa Barbara 201, Long Beach State 178, Cal State Fullerton 165, UC Irvine 122.
Men - Long Beach State 201.5, UC Santa Barbara 165, UC Irvine 156.5, Cal State Fullerton 156