Pirates take first overall at Saddleback Invitational
MISSION VIEJO -- It was another impressive performance by the Orange Coast College women's track and field team, who took first place overall on Friday at the Saddleback Invitational.
The Pirates used five first-place peformances and finished the meet with a top team score of 179 points, ahead of host Saddleback (122), Bakersfield (120), El Camino (62), Southwestern (60) and Cuyamaca (2).
Sprinter Yasamin Zand edged out a fast group of runners to take the 100-meter dash with a score of 12.74, just ahead of ECC's Julia Ausland (12.77) and Pirate teammate Razanne Dawood (12.77).
McKay Arvidson nearly ran unapposed in the 3,000 and cruised to victory with a time of 11:00.83 ... 1:43 aheady of runner-up Haidee Lopez of El Camino (12:43.96).
Hurdler Mallor Jackson showed her stuff in the 400 hurdles with a winning time of 1:11.69, just ahead of the Saddleback duo of Shaelynn Barbieri (1:15.11) and Esther Parrish (1:20.15).
Coast went 1-2 in the high jump with Taylor Eddleman taking the top spot with a jump of 5-feet, 2 1/2 inches, just ahead of teammate Nicolette Gruber (5-1).
Leilani Cooley helped lead a 1-3-4 finish in the javelin for OCC with a winning mark of 93-1, ahead of OCC teammates Jacqueline Ryder (92 3 1/2) and Verna Malo (91-7 1/4).
The Pirates will return to action at Mt. San Antonio College on Saturday, April 9, beginning at 10 a.m.