Spear Throwers Highlight SPU Women's Win in Vernacchia
April 2, 2005

Complete Meet Results

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Apr. 2) – Lauren VerMulm continued her strong start by leading a Seattle Pacific University sweep of the top four spots in the javelin and a sixth straight women’s team title at the Vernacchia Team Classic track and field meet Saturday at Civic Stadium.

VerMulm (Fr., Mount Vernon, Wa.) and pole-vaulter Ally Studer (Sr., Redmond, Wa.) picked up the Falcons’ only wins as they rested or pulled key performers from their top events.

Seattle Pacific held off a late charge by Simon Fraser in the women’s team standings, winning with 93.5 points to 92 for SFU. British Columbia was third among the eight teams with 83. Host Western Washington (117.5) won the men’s crown for the eighth year in a row while SPU (26) was sixth.

Elsewhere, Tim LeCount (Sr., Battle ground, Wa.) broke a 23-year-old SPU school record in the 10,000-meter run at the Willamette Invitational in Salem, Ore. LeCount’s time of 31 minutes, 27.54 seconds eclipsed Lester Groom’s 31:44.0 from 1982.

In the Vernacchia javelin, VerMulm sent the spear 150 feet, 4 inches to win by more than 17 feet over teammate Molly Hornbuckle (So., Burien, Wa./Highline), who threw 132-8. It was VerMulm’s second win and she has finished among the top four of all five meets.

In her first javelin competition since her senior year in high school, basketball star Amy Taylor (Sr., Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood) approached her personal best and finished third at 129-6. Danielle Ayers-Stamper (Jr., LaCrosse, Wa.) was fourth at 120-9 and led her team with 15 points. She scored in three individual events and ran a leg on both relays.

Crosswinds affected the pole vault, with Studer’s best clearance of 11-1 3/4 nearly a foot below her season best.

The women’s team outcome was not determined until the final event, the 1600 relay. The Falcons held off Central Washington for third in 4:03.88. For the first time, SPU did not add any new NCAA qualifying marks. The women have nine and the men one thus far.

Three women and two males earned second-place finishes. Karin Rohde (Fr., Bellingham, Wa.) was runner-up in the 3000 meters in a time of 10:38.0 and Kelsey Cooley (Fr., Missoula, Mt.), who had 14 points, ran second in the 100 hurdles in 15.29. Sharon Bjella (So., Everett, Wa./Everett) leaped a season-best 5-5 in the high jump. The 400 relay was second in 50.60.

Paul Mach (Sr., Seattle, Wa./King’s) dueled with Nathan Carlson of Saint Martin’s in the 800. Mach, who doubled in the 400, taking fourth (50.44), ran a season-bet 1:55.22 but Carlson prevailed in 1:54.42.

Brian Cronrath (Fr., Battle Ground, Wa.) pressed eventual winner Shane Carlos of British Columbia in the 1500. Carlos crossed the line in 3:59.08 and Cronrath was next in a personal record of 3:59.48.

Next Friday night Seattle Pacific takes most of its athletes to Cheney, Wash., for the Pelluer Invitational.