Malasky's kick ends marathon game in Lwt. Football's favor

Senior Dan Malasky kicked a 36-yard field goal in the secondSenior Dan Malasky kicked a 36-yard field goal in the secondovertime to lead Quakers past Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. Seeing her run, it is hard to believe that Penn freshman Stephanie Bell began running cross country only little more than a year ago. Despite her inexperience, the Long Island native has garnered numerous awards for her achievements and has astounded coaches and teammates. "She's an outstanding athlete and is very dedicated to running," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "She came here with some very fine credentials and has done a super job of being very consistent and of learning. You know it's a relatively new sport for her." Having played soccer and lacrosse her first two years in high school, Bell decided to pick up track in the spring of her junior year. She was inspired by her father, who was a successful runner in his college days at St. John's. "My dad was a great role model for me," Bell said. "He was a runner, but he also never gives up at anything and encourages me to do the same." But things went downhill for Bell when she suffered a minor injury in the spring of her junior year and decided to quit running. Bell would have forgotten completely about cross country had it not been for a form letter that all spring track runners received, encouraging them to go out for cross country in the fall. Remembering her father's advice, Bell decided to give running a second chance. Her tenacity paid off. In one year, she achieved what many experienced runners had long aspired to. In the fall, she placed third in the state in the Class C (small school) division and was first in the county in cross country. In winter track, she placed first in the county in the 3,000 meters and second in the 1,500. Finally, last spring she came in first in the 3,000 and 15,00 in the county championships and was the New York state champion in the 3,000. Although she had been extremely successful, Bell was still disappointed with her running experience. She ran with a neighboring high school because her own did not have a team and really felt that she was missing out on the team experience. When looking for a college, she was particularly interested in finding one with a strong cross country team. "I liked the other schools I visited, but, when I came to Penn, I knew this was where I wanted to go," Bell said. "I liked the coaches and the running program and the team. Also, the atmosphere was appealing. People are smart but know how to have fun. And the city life had lots to offer." Bell's teammates have noticed the hard work that she has put in and her fast learning curve. "The more confidence she develops, the more she will continue to improve," Penn freshman Kelly Cuomo said. "It is also exciting to think about how she will enhance our track team in the distance events after coming off such a positive cross country season." What attracted Bell to running was its continuity. Unlike other sports where it's stop and go every minute, Bell enjoys the steadiness of running. She finds that the competition in running gives her more satisfaction than in other sports because everyone on the team contributes equally to the team's success. "I didn't have a team in high school, so it's really important to me," Bell said. "I'm not just doing it for myself." Bell feeds off her teammates to reach her full potential. As a relatively inexperienced runner, their encouragement and advice is beneficial for her. "She's done an outstanding job of stepping up, showing her talent and establishing herself as a very promising cross country distance runner in this conference," Tenisci said. "We're very proud of her and pleased with her progress. She's doing a very, very nice job." "She had an excellent race last week at Navy," Quakers sophomore Rita Garber said. "She really just ran aggressively from the start and led the way, which is just what the team needs. We're really excited to have Stephanie, along with all of the other freshmen, to give the team such strength and youth." Perhaps what makes Bell such a successful runner is that she is laid back and makes it a point to enjoy life and focus on the present. Her goals for this season are to come away with experience, which is a vital component of racing strategy. What is most important to her, however, is the time spent with her teammates and the sense of accomplishment that running gives her. "I don't want to relive anything. The point in life is to go forward and experience new things, not to regret things you did in the past," Bell said. "The same applies to running. If you screw up, big deal, there's always next time, and you learn from your mistakes."