April 14, 2007
Results
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy women's track & field senior Kirsten Andrews won three events and broke the school record in the pole vault as the Midshipmen defeated Army, 107-96, in the Star Meet held at Ingram Field on Saturday. Navy's record improved to 10-0 on the year with the win.
Navy recorded its sixth indoor and outdoor Star Meet sweep in program history, all of which have occurred over the last-11 years. The Midshipmen defeated the Black Knights, 107-73, during the indoor Star Meet held up in West Point earlier this year. Saturday's outdoor Star Meet victory was Navy's third in a row and sixth over the past eight years.
Navy jumped out to a 60-47 lead after the first-ten events of the day, but Army came back with five-consecutive event victories to pull within four at 83-79. However, the Midshipmen would not let the Black Knights get any closer, as they answered with three-straight event titles to seal Saturday's victory.
"I just thought the entire team really stepped up exceeded my own and their personal expectations today," stated Navy head coach Carla Criste. "Everyone was near or surpassed their personal records, and this is what the Army-Navy meet is all about."
Andrews had a memorable afternoon in her final Army-Navy Star Meet of her career, as she pushed her career individual win total over Army to 12, with nine of those coming over her final-two seasons.
"Kirsten (Andrews), as well as the other seniors, have set a great tone for this team," said Criste. "They have really left a great Army-Navy legacy behind them."
Andrews won the pole vault with a program-record height of 13'3/4" (3.98 meters), a half of an inch better than the record held by Amanda Hasenauer in 2003 and more than seven inches higher than her previous personal record. In her third and final try at 12'10-1/2", Andrews easily cleared over the bar and went for the school record on her next height, clearing that bar on her first attempt.
In her first event of the day, Andrews claimed first in the long jump with a distance of 18'10-3/4", only half an inch away from tying the school record shared by Michelle Schiller and Joanne Uwujaren. While competing in both the pole vault and long jump, the Navy senior also placed first in the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 14.36 seconds.
Senior Danielle Still (Lawnside, N.J.) posted a pair of victories for the Mids in the throwing events. She qualified for the NCAA regional championship in the javelin throw with a distance of 151'1" (46.07 meters). The product of Lawnside, N.J., also topped the field in the shot put with a season-best toss of 42'8" (13.00 meters).
Classmate Loni Forsythe (Chattanooga, Tenn.) paced the competition in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.88 seconds, tying her season-best mark and the second-quickest showing in school history. She also placed second in the 200-meter dash with a 24.92-second clocking.
Making her first appearance during the outdoor season, Navy senior Justine Whipple (Duxbury, Mass.) won the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:05.97, the fifth-fastest clocking in program history.
Sophomore Meg Joyce (West Kingston, R.I.) won the hammer throw at Hospital Point with an ECAC-qualifying distance of 161'10" (49.32 meters). Junior Jacquelyn Charnigo (Medina, Ohio) claimed first in the high jump with a clearance of 5'3" (1.60 meters), while senior Erin Demchko (Pearl River, N.Y.) crossed the finish line first with a time of 4:41.05 in the 1,500-meter run.
The Midshipmen will split up their squad next Saturday to compete in two meets. Navy will travel to Auburn, Ala., to partake in the Tiger Track Classic and will head to Bethlehem, Pa., for the Greyhound Invitational.
