Women's Track & Field opens 2011 season with 2nd place finish at Joe Banks Invitational

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's track and field team had a solid opening to the 2011 indoor season, finishing second at the Joe Banks Invitational at the ONU Sports Center Friday night.

ONU scored 173 points, while Findlay won the meet with 205 points and Huntington (Ind.) placed third with 62 points.

The Polar Bears swept three events: the 1,600-meter run, the 3,000-meter run and the shot put.

Sophomore Alison Steinbrunner won the 1,600 with a time of 5:25, while sophomore Lydia Weaver finished second in 5:29 and junior Mallory Bloom third in 5:35.

Junior Kelly Casanova crossed the finish line first in the 3,000 with a time of 11:00, while fellow juniors Brooke Bohanan and Lauren Wood placed second and third in 11:11 and 11:25.

In the shot put, freshman Hannah Livengood placed first with a throw of 33-8.5. Second place was claimed by freshman Jessica Durham with a distance of 32-6.25 and third place by freshman Raven McLure with a throw of 28-1.

McLure also finished second in the weight throw with a distance of 37-6.5.

Also placing second was sophomore Jordan Buchanan in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.61 and senior Amanda Binkey in the 1,000-meter run in 3:13.

Third place finishers for the Polar Bears included junior Ashley Sottoway in the long jump with a distance of 14-5.25, freshman Jenalyn Hennon in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.73 and freshman Kayti Kintner in the 800-meter run in 2:30.

Rounding out the third place finishers was the 4x400 relay team of Kintner and fellow freshmen Katie Klopp, Laura Avino and Caitlin Ratliff, posting a time of 4:34.

The Polar Bears will compete next Friday at the Northwest Ohio Meet at Findlay. The meet is slated for 6 p.m.