Women’s 4x100m relay: The Oregon women scored six surprising points in the first running event of the day, taking third in the event in 44.80, behind Arizona State (44.10) and USC (44.37). Mandy White led for Oregon, handing cleanly to Amber Purvis, to Keshia Baker and finishing with Jamesha Youngblood at the anchor.
Unlike yesterday, when Purvis hobbled off the track holding one of her shoes after the 100m and the relay almost didn’t qualify after nearly botched handoffs on two legs, the transitions were flawless from our angle today. With 60 meters to go Youngblood was even leading the race from the inside in lane one, before ASU and USC held her off.
UCLA was fourth in 44.82. Stanford, Oregon’s competition for the day, was fifth. Oregon women 73, Stanford 62 through eight events.
Women’s 1,500m: Alex Kosinski was third and Nicole Blood fourth to get 11 points in a spirited run down the final 100 meters to Stanford’s 13 points overall in the race. In a slow pace of 4:26.62 (won by Follett of Washington) the pack never separated until the final 150 meters. Follett was in a race for her life for the win with Stanford’s Alicia Follmar, but out of the middle of the pack emerged the two Ducks, whose 11 points were more than expected. Kosinski’s time was 4:27.87, Blood followed in 4:27.87. Oregon 84, Stanford 75 through nine events.
Women’s 100m: Amber Purvis of Oregon did not look good yesterday when she came off the track with her left shoe off, and now we know why. The broke a toe on her left foot, and had others still sore after she said a UO football player stepped on them. She finished a disappointing eighth in the 100 after breaking the school records in the 100 and 200 earlier this spring, and didn’t even contest the 200.
Women’s 5,000m: Nicole Blood stuck…and stuck…and stuck behind Laurynne Chetelat for of the race until the final 150 meters, racing past the Cardinal runner in a symbolic end to the meet…until Lauren Centrowitz came out of nowhere to eclipse the Oregon junior and defending champion in 16:15.86,to Blood’s 16:16.58.
The women have won, we heard at about 3:50 p.m. today. They had 151.5 points to Stanford’s 130 after the 5,000m. All that’s left is to tabulate the results from the women’s discus and the 4x400m relay, but neither will get Stanford close enough, it appears.
