Jan. 19, 2008
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -
Lumberjack Invitational Results
UNLV women's track and field junior Lekeisha Lawson posted a strong day on the track to lead the Rebels, who were making their 2008 debut at the Lumberjack Invitational, held at the J L Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz.
It was also the debut for first-year head coach Yvonne Scott-Williams, the new mentor of the Rebels who is beginning her head coaching career.
"We are happy about how this team came out and competed," Scott-Williams said. "We weren't expecting records, we just wanted them to get in the spirit of competition and they did. The good performances just came along with that. This was our first meet of the season and it gives us an opportunity to evaluate and get to work on the things that need adjustments."
Lawson provided one of many highlights on the day for the Rebels, as a total of 14 student-athletes posted top-10 performances at the meet, which also included host NAU, Arizona, BYU, Cal State Bakersfield, New Mexico and several unattached athletes.
Lawson won the 200 meters in a time of 24.91, which was her career-best indoor time in the event, and she also took third in the 60 meters with a time of 7.58. The native of Victorville, Calif., also ran a leg on the UNLV `A' 1600-meter relay team, which took third with a time of 4:05.60.
The 60-meters was UNLV's strongest event of the day, with a total of four Rebels advancing to the finals. Lauren Johnson (7.88) finished eighth, Tanesha Carr (7.90) came in 10th and Kristen Johnson (7.97) finished 13th. In the 200-meters Brittney Bullocks (25.77) finished fifth and Kristen Johnson (26.26) added an eighth-place finish.
Junior distance runner Jennifer Shearer posted two fourth-place finishes on Saturday, crossing the finish line in the mile run in a time of 5:34.68 as well as clocking a time of 11:21.18 in the 3,000 meters. Freshman Jessica Heil came in ninth in the mile (6:01.26) and added a 10th-place finish in the 3,000 meters (12:41.85), and senior Laura Lundin came in ninth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 12:22.51. De'Lace Kelly added a 10th-place finish in the 800 meters to round out the Rebel Individuals on the track.
In the field events the Polee sisters, Kenya and Talyah, finished fourth and fifth respectively in the long jump invitational with distances of 17'-11.00" and 17'-3.50", while Carr finished fourth in the open division of the long jump with a distance of 14'-9.25". Junior high jumper Claire Schreiner finished fourth in the high jump, clearing 5'-3.75", a UNLV career best.
Senior thrower Monique Humphries was just four inches shy of her school record in the weight throw, coming in second place with a distance of 57'-7.00". She also added a 10th-place finish in the shot put with a heave of 40'-7.00". Olivia Raya came in ninth in the weight throw with a distance of 47'-9.75".
UNLV will take next weekend off and then continue its indoor season at the Washington Invitational in Seattle, Wash., on Feb. 1-2.
