Salem, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's men's and women's track & field teams piled up nine event victories, the most of any school at the meet, Saturday at Roanoke College's At The Last Minute Invitational.
Senior Madeline Van Aken (Blacksburg, Va.) highlighted the day for the Hornets, setting a new personal best in the pole vault by clearing 11-4 ¼ to win the event. That mark tops the Old Dominion Athletic Conference leaderboard and puts Van Aken second all-time on the Lynchburg leaderboard.
Lynchburg's women swept the podium in the triple jump, led by freshman Zoe Scales (Danville, Va.), who leapt a collegiate-best 34-5. Sophomore LaMaya Lacy (Bremo Bluff, Va.) followed closely at 34-1 ¼ for second, and Van Aken took third (33-10 ¾).
Lacy and Scales also finished one-two in the 60-meter hurdles; Lacy's winning time of 9.57 seconds ranks fifth all-time at Lynchburg, while Scales hopped into sixth on the program leaderboard at 9.59. Both rate top five in the conference in the event.
Freshman Donzailya Berg (Stephens City, Va.) won the long jump at 16-3 ¼, a mark that ranks third on the ODAC chart.
Junior Sammi Woods (Fredericksburg, Va.) set the tone for the Lynchburg throwers, clearing 38-2 ¼ to take second at the meet and move into fifth in the Lynchburg record annal.
The Hornet men fared nearly better, totaling five event victories and an ODAC top time of the season.
Junior Shawn Gmurek (Parkton, Md.) won the 800-meter run in a thriller, besting his competition by just .004 seconds to win in 1:59.07, the fastest 800m in the conference this season. That race checks in 10th on Lynchburg's all-time list.
Other event winners included sophomore Julian Douglas (Lynchburg, Va.) in the long jump (21-0 ½); freshman Alex Shadkhoo (Herndon, Va.) in the 200-meter dash (22.73); freshman Jordan Short (Madison Heights, Va.) in the 400-meter dash (51.85); and freshman Erick Clark (Louisa, Va.) in the 60-meter hurdles (9.89).
Lynchburg's teams will return to competition next weekend at the Virginia Military Institute Winter Relays in Lexington, Va.
--LYN--
