Marietta women take third and men fifth at OAC Gold Meet
Kovacevich wins three field events at five-team competition at Don Drumm Stadium

March 29, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College junior Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville), the reigning Ohio Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Week, could be line up for a second straight league honor after she took first place in three different field events to lead the Lady Pioneers to a third-place finish at the OAC Gold Meet Saturday (March 29) afternoon at Don Drumm Stadium.

Baldwin-Wallace's women won the competition after collecting 169 points, while John Carroll placed second with 125 points and Marietta took third with 116 points. Mount Union dominated the men's side with 249 points, while Muskingum was a distant second with 92 points. The Pioneers collected 56 points and finished fifth.

Kovacevich won the Shot Put with a season's best throw of 11.58m (38-00.00). She took first in the Discus with a personal record toss of 34.48m (113-01). Kovacevich then captured the individual title in the Hammer Throw with a mark of 42.68m (140-00).

The women's 4x400m Relay, which featured freshman Tara Leach (West Lafayette), sophomore Randi Robertson (Avon Lake), senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta) and junior Jessi Larrison (Batavia), closed out the competition by winning the event and setting the Marietta's only school record Saturday. The team crossed the line in 4:08.25, almost a second faster than the previous school record and just ahead of Baldwin-Wallace's relay team.

Spencer also had a first place finish as an individual in the 400m Hurdles after crossing the line in 1:06.79, which was just shy of the school record. In addition, Robertson has a strong finish in the 1,500m Run, taking third place after running the race in 4:56.84.

Senior Breanne Kosar (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) also won her event, the High Jump, after clearing a season's best 1.57m (5-01.75). Senior Rachelle Cole (Sherrodsville/Conotton Valley) set another season's best with her third place finish in the Javelin. Cole had a top mark of 32.66m (107-02). Freshman Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan) had another season's best performance in the Pole Vault, clearing 3.05m (10-00,00), which placed her second overall.

Marietta's men had a pair of athletes throw a personal record in the Javelin. Sophomore Chad Byers (New Matamoras/River) placed second with a mark of 48.28m (158-05), while senior Jayson Roth (Tuscarawas/Indian Valley) took fifth with a mark of 43.06m (141-03).

Freshman Seth Beckner (Red House, W.Va./Buffalo) jumped a season's best in the Pole Vault, 4.32m (14-02.00) and took third. Freshman Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) ran a season's best in the 400m Run (52.10 seconds) and took fifth and then finished fourth in the 200m Dash (23.02 seconds). Classmate Matt Hickman (St. Marys, W.Va.) took third in the 200m event, crossing the line in 22.88 seconds.

Juniors Brian Pallini (Medina) and Derek Carpenter (Belpre) finished first and second, respectively, in the Hammer Throw. Pallini had a top mark of 45.62m (149-08), while Carpenter threw 45.05m (147-10).

The men's 4x400m Relay also closed out the competition with a season's best performance. Junior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local), sophomore Kent Reiber (Avon Lake), sophomore Josh Mickle (Madison) and Williams took fourth after finishing in 3:33.46.

Marietta is back in action on Saturday (April 5) afternoon when it hosts the Don Frail Invitational at Don Drumm Stadium.

Junior Tiffany Kovacevich won three events at the OAC Gold Meet

Results