Bulldogs Rise To The Top At Dusty Lane Open
3/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. — Heading into the first outdoor track meet of the season, Gonzaga coaches really had just two goals for their runners: compete hard and shake off any lingering rust from a month-long break. The Bulldogs met both objectives, reaping a great deal of success as a result.
Gonzaga runners placed first in half of the eight races in which they competed at the Dusty Lane Open. The meet, the first of 13 competitions on the Bulldogs' outdoor slate, took place at Spokane Falls Community College on a balmy and occasionally sunny Saturday.
"It was a low-key meet, but it was neat to see all those Gonzaga jerseys break the tape," said Pat Tyson, GU's program director and men's coach. "It was a good opportunity for our kids to compete and learn how to lead a race."
Gonzaga's first-place finishers included Shelly Davis in the women's 1,500 meters, Andy Phillips in the men's 800 meters, Joe LaMontagne in the 1,500 and Matthew Crichlow in the 5,000. In addition to those athletes, Gonzaga had 20 runners place in the top five of their respective events while another 11 Bulldogs recorded top-10 finishes.
"It was nice just to be outside with some decent weather," women's coach Patty Ley said. "It was a pretty solid opener where we were competing hard. We didn't have any major ups, but no major downs either, so it was a good place to start."
Davis, a redshirt junior from Mukilteo, Wash., set a personal record in the 1,500 meters. She finished with a time of 4:41.34, nearly two full seconds ahead of fellow Zag Zoë Urcadez. Amelia Evens and Jordan McCann also set PRs in this race, an event in which the Bulldogs claimed eight of the top 10 spots.
Tyson praised LaMontagne's winning effort in the men's 1,500 meters. The redshirt senior, who is still working his way back from a hamstring injury that has been nagging him for nearly a year, recorded a time of 3:59.41.
Paced by Crichlow's 14:48.55, GU runners registered the top five times in the men's 5,000 meters. Crichlow led a group of four Zags that clustered together and pushed each other the entire race.
Phillips, meanwhile, led start to finish in the men's 800 meters. The redshirt junior from Jackson Hole, Wyo., finished with a time of 1:54.40.
The Bulldogs will be on the track three days next week, beginning with the Buc Scoring Invite. That two-day meet starts Thursday, March 20, at Whitworth University. Some GU runners will also travel to Eugene, Ore., for the Oregon Preview on Saturday, March 22.
