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Maria Grill
Fabian Mestanza

Women's T&F Stands Out at DIII Invite

2/4/2022 9:32:00 PM

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The TCNJ women's track and field team made its familiarity with The Armory count in a stellar performance at the NYC Division III Invitational on Friday night.

Competing at the Armory for the third time this indoor campaign, the Lions compiled three individual victories and multiple runner-up finishes. Amanda Demko (200), Maria Grill (400), and Nicole Lester (pole vault) all won their individual events for TCNJ.

The Lions' 400-meter dash duo put up a remarkable showing, with Grill slashing more than two seconds off her previous PR to cross the line in a blazing 58.56 seconds. Valandra Riggins, for her part, notched a collegiate-best 59.31 to take second by nearly two-thirds of a second over the third-place performer.

The 200-meter dash was also fertile ground for TCNJ. Demko won easily in 26.06 seconds, while Liz Lam (28.15) and Jaya Fields (28.57) each seized a new PR.

Eliza Bruncaj registered a personal best of her own to finish runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles, posting a 9.21 to easily outpace her 9.37-second showing from prelims.

Grill and Riggins were also part of a runner-up effort in the 4x400-meter relay, joining Erin Hanlon and Sameerah Khan to finish in 4:03.14.

Demko (sixth) and Karla Gomez-Matos (seventh) each placed in the 60-meter dash, with Demko logging an 8.17 in her debut and Gomez-Matos recording a personal-best 8.20. Liz Lam (8.37) and Fields (8.38) narrowly missed out on qualifying for the finals.

Hanlon (2:24.13), Salini Iyer (2:25.74), and Olivia Class (2:30.86) all tallied new personal bests in the 800, with Hanlon knocking six seconds off her previous standard to finish in fifth overall.

Cassidy Quinn trimmed 15 seconds off her previous benchmark in the 3000 meters, finishing eighth in 10:54.88.

Lester led the field squad with a winning effort in the pole vault, clearing a season-best 10-11.50 to outpace the runner-up by a full six inches.

Abigail Pfaff cleared a personal-best 5-1.00 in the high jump, a mark equaled by Bruncaj and Kayley Harnett.

Emily Diszler's mark of 40-3.25 in the weight throw was enough for a PR and fourth place, while Kerri McCarthy landed in sixth (38-6.25).

McCarthy unleashed a big PR in the shot put, where her mark of 33-10.00 was a career-best by over two feet and good for ninth in the NJAC. Diszler also reached a personal best with a 30-4.75.

Gomez-Matos took eighth in the long jump with a 15-9.50, and Zoe Iovino matched her personal best with a 15-6.00. Iovino also placed fourth in the triple jump (34-6.25).
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