W. Track sticks with big 5 power

For several years, Temple has been the dominant team in Big Five woman's outdoor track and field. So no one should have been surprised that the Owls were the premier performers in the dashes on Saturday, finishing first in four events at the Quaker Invitational. Unlike their powerful cross-city rival, Penn has not won an outdoor Big Five Championship since Ronald Reagan was president. Last Sunday at the Penn Invitational, the Red and Blue were outrun, outjumped and outhustled by the Owls, and failed to finish first in a single event. At the Quaker Invitational, the events, location and scoring system were all the same as at last Sunday's event. But the results were shockingly different. The Quakers were dominant on South Field, jumping and throwing their way to four first-place finishes in seven events. And coupled with senior Melanie Gesker's lightening fast 5,000-meter run around Franklin Field's track, the Quakers concluded their second home meet with five first-place finishes. That was one more than Temple -- a team referred to in the running events as out of Penn's league. The Quakers have been surprisingly strong all year, defeating teams possibly more talented than they. In the winter, the Red and Blue shocked both Ivy League track fans and their own coaching staff by overcoming a plague of injuries by winning the Heptagonals for the first time since 1988. But yesterday's performance, although meaningless in the standings, was the most impressive showing of the spring by the Red and Blue. The Quakers did not just dominate Ivy League rival Princeton, but edged a national powerhouse in Temple. And one young Quaker managed to set an all-time school record in the process. In the shotput, freshman Luana Botelho broke Penn graduate Lynn Kowal's 14-year-old school record by shot putting a phenomenal 12.82 meters. In the process, Botelho picked up a first-place finish for the Quakers with her throw, which landed a good foot and a half ahead of the throws of Rhode Island stars Sherri Pierce and Michelle Fournier's shot put. "I think we did really well," freshman jumper Lisa El said. "Luana set a school record that has been around since [1982]. Tiffany [Archer] jumped really well and my jumps finished." Archer, a sophomore, finished first in the high jump by leaping over 67 inches, while El won both the long jump and the triple jump. But it would be unfair to consider only three jumps, one throw, and one run when discussing the Red and Blue domination. Christina Schelin finished only .24 meters shy of earning the Quakers a sixth first-place finish in the meet, throwing the javelin a strong 35.48 meters. Penn captain Angie Jimenez, and fellow Quakers Sherry Cheng and Christi Strawley, finished third through fifth respectively in the javelin throw. Although Rhode Island's Michelle Fournier won in the discus, the Red and Blue dominated the event. Quakers freshmen Botelho and Mandy Bennett placed second and third, while junior Erin Soley placed fourth. "I feel like way behind where I feel I should be," Soley said. "The discus was fine. But, the two freshman, Mandy and Luana did well. They have a lot to work on and a lot to improve, but they are very solid. We are still working on a lot of stuff. There is room for improvement. When everything gels, we are only going to get better." The Quakers also had a strong showing in the running events, despite the Owls' overall domination on the track. Penn sophomores Kristen Duyck and Rita Garber finished third and fourth behind Gesker and Rhode Island's Karen Labbadia in the 5000. Penn sophomore Dawn McGee and junior Nuru Hunter both qualified for the finals of the 100 hurdles. McGee took second overall, behind Temple's Lakishia Powell. In the 100 dash, Temple's Inshallah Saunders, Tamecka Conway and Beverly Chin finished with the three best times, but Penn captain Kelley King and freshman Shana MacDonald-Black were just a step behind at fourth and fifth. On Wednesday afternoon, Penn coach Betty Costanza predicted, "the only thing that can lead to trouble for [Penn] is cold weather and rain." Costanza was on the money with her prediction. But, it is doubtful even the weather could have prevented the Quakers domination at the Quaker Invitational Saturday.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.