Pirinelli Wins 4th Straight Title, DMR Sets SLU Record at ECACs
by:
Whit HaynesSophomore Liz Schwennker helped the DMR set a SLU record on Friday
St. Lawrence University senior Alyssa Pirinelli won her fourth straight ECAC indoor shot put championship on Friday and the women's Distance Medley Relay team set a SLU record and met NCAA provisional qualifying standards in day one of the 2010 ECAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at Smith College on Friday.
Pirinelli threw 14.50 meters (47-7) to win the shot by almost a full meter over Bates senior Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan. Pirinelli and Duncan will square off again Saturday in the weight throw competition as Duncan has the top seed distance in the ECACs with a 17.48 throw and Pirinelli is second with a 17.36 meter throw. Those distances are fifth and sixth nationally.
The DMR team of Jenna Hulton, Jackie Lemme, Liz Schwennker and Wendy Pavlus ran 12:12.96, nearly a four second improvement over the SLU record they first set a week ago at the NYSCTC Championships. The time moved the Saints up the ladder in the NCAA seedings, but is unlikely to put them in the field for next weekend's championship meet.
Jessica Venezia competed in the triple jump and had a 10.59 meter best and Kirsten LaPorte ran in the 55 meter hurdles in Friday's competition. The Saints are tied for sixth with 15 points after day one and should add to their point total on Saturday with Pirinelli favored to score in the weight throw, two-time ECAC 5000 meter champion Wendy Pavlus competing in the mile and Hulton and Lemme running the 1000 meters.