The University of Rhode Island women’s track and field team began its indoor season at the URI Heptathlon qualifier and the 29th annual Rhode Island Pentathlon on Friday, as several URI athletes had their collegiate debuts.
Rhode Island hosted the URI Heptathlon at the Mackal Field House, where five athletes competed in five events. Beginning with the 60-meter hurdles, first-year Lily MacDonald finished in third place with a time of 9.09 seconds. Second-year Kathryn Cahill finished with a time of 9.59 seconds for 10th place. Behind her in 11th place with a time of 9.76 seconds was first-year Emma Halsey. Second-year Lilly Pittakas ranked 17th with a time of 10.84 seconds.
In the women’s high jump, MacDonald and Brown University’s fourth-year Delaney Seligamann tied for third place with a jump of 1.60 meters. Later on, Vigue jumped for 1.51 meters for ninth place. Sacred Heart University first-years Chloe McGinty, Georgia Robarts and second-year Kayleigh Troy, along with Brown’s third-year Adrienne Usher, also tied for ninth. Cahill and Pittakas both tied for 14th place as they had the same height of 1.45 meters. Rounding out the event, Halsey tied for 17th with Coast Guard Academy’s third-year Tara Jessen at 1.36 meters.
Cahill then placed seventh in the shot put event with a distance of 9.40 meters, followed by MacDonald, who tossed for a distance of 9.39 meters for eighth place. Halsey finished in 14th with a 7.62 meter toss. Vigue was ranked in 18th place with a throw of 7.15 meters, and Pittakas came in behind her, placing 19th at 6.32 meters.
In the long jump, MacDonald had a third-place finish as she lunged for a distance of 5.46 meters, while Pittakas landed in 11th place at 4.79 meters. Vigue had a 4.57 meter jump for 15th place and Halsey finished behind her in 16th place at 4.52 meters.
In the last event of the day, Pittakas was the first athlete to complete the 800-meter run as she crossed the finish line with a time of 2:23.60. Next, Vigue came in sixth place at 2:41.12, then MacDonald completed her race with a time of 2:46.59 for ninth place. The last two Rhode Island runners finished within a second of each other, as Halsey came in 14th place at 2:50.52, while Cahill closed in within a time of 2:51.39 at 15th.
The team began the 800-meter race conservatively, but had a strong finish towards the end, according to URI Assistant Coach John Melnick.
“I think we’re pretty positive,” Melnick said. “Definitely some had some good events overall [in the] big picture [and] certainly a big day for Lily MacDonald.”
In her collegiate debut, MacDonald finished the Pentathlon second out of 18 eligible competitors, securing 3,305 points.
“I was just excited to start competing again and get back into things,” MacDonald said. “I was a little scared for the 800 because that is not my specialty. But, I made it through, and it felt good.”
Cahill ranked 11th with 2,752 points, followed by Pittakas, who came in 12th with 2,699 points. Vigue also made her debut for Rhode Island, finishing the event with 2,617 points in 15th place. Halsey came in 16th at 2,494 points.
“I was so happy that I was competing for my teammates,” MacDonald said. “It was so fun, and I feel like the environment was really positive, and it was nice to be able to talk to them and be doing the same events.”
On Saturday, Rhode Island also competed at the Boston University Season Opener Meet, New Balance Early Bird Invite and Brown Alden Invitational, where it ranked seventh out of the seven competing teams at Alden.
URI’s next event will be at the University of Massachusetts Flagship Invitational on Jan. 18 at 10 a.m.
The post Debuts highlight women’s indoor track opener first appeared on The Good 5¢ Cigar.
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