By Jason Richland
The Huskies track team is still just flexing its muscles.
The women’s team finished second at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Friday.
“I was caught between a rock and a hard place,” said NU coach Sherman Hart. “You have so many scoring needs and you need times and marks for the championships.”
Hart used several athletes in different events.
“I could have done some different things and we might’ve won this meet,” Hart said, “but I need to go into the championships with some different marks to try and fool the other coaches. They don’t expect all these different moves.”
The Huskies finished with a score of 119, behind only the University of South Florida, who scored 148 points.
“It was an interesting meet,” Hart said. “We get them again at their place and we are going to bring the house for them.”
Junior Erin Ballard finished second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:15.38 to earn eight points and junior Amy Hicks finished sixth in the 1,000-meter (3:00.23) for three points.
Junior Emily Watson was the lone point-getter for NU in the one-mile run. Watson finished seventh (5:13.58) for two points.
Sophomore Shanae Henry finished second in the 55-meter dash (7.25) for eight points and junior Jordine Kimbrel finished third (7.29) for six points.
Kimbrel took top honors in the 200-meter dash with a 24.91 for 10 points and freshman Charity Briggs finished eighth (26.27) for one point.
“I wasn’t really displeased with anybody,” Hart said. “I think Erin Ballard did a tremendous job coming back off of injury. I think Emily Watson did a tremendous job in the mile and Jordine Kimbrel finally woke up, which was great.”
Senior Ahndraea Allen finished first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.32 for 10 points, but no other Husky finished in the top eight.
In the 500-meter dash, junior Natalee Pennicooke finished fifth (1:18.97) for four points and sophomore Ashley Wilson finished eighth (1:20.79) to earn one point.
In the 3,000-meter run only senior Amber Cullen placed. Cullen garnered five points for a fourth place finish (10:34.95).
NU dominated the 55-meter hurdle, owning three of the top four positions. Junior Aquila Williams-Judge took the top spot for 10 points (8.01), freshman Tramaine Shaw finished second for eight points (8.19) and junior Nubia Newsome finished fourth (8.38).
In the relay events, the Huskies grabbed 14 total points. Briggs, Henry, Shaw and junior Monique Bynoe led the Huskies to a second-place finish (3:56.05) in the 4×400-meter. Ballard, Henry, Hicks and sophomore Ashleigh Bordwell took third place (12:25.84) in the distance medley.
Freshman Melanie Nicholas finished second in the high jump (5-4) and Shaw finished eighth (5-2). Freshman Alison Warren failed to place in the pole vault.
“You have to look at the pole vault,” Hart said. “[Warren] was clearly the best pole vaulter and she no-heighted it. That should have been an easy win.”
In the long jump, Williams-Judge finished second (5.49) for eight points and freshman Alice Rybalko finished fifth (5.29) for four points. Freshman Meredith O’Connor grabbed sixth place in the shot put (12.73).
“I think that the importance of this meet is that it was our meet and it was on TV and it was just a tremendous track atmosphere,” Hart said. “We had the band there, which was great. It was competitive and we had the opportunity to improve sometimes and we got to run in front of the hometown crowd. I think half the football team was there.”
The Huskies’ next real test begins Friday, at the New Balance Armory Collegiate Invitational in New York, N.Y.
“That’s more of a big-time meet,” Hart said. “We have teams from all over the country. Most of the East Coast is going to show up and Texas and LSU will walk in the door. It’s a good barometer of where you are at against the big boys.”
