Spiders Repeat In 4x800M Relay On Final Day of A-10 Championships

Sunday, May 6

Fairfax, Va.

10:30 AM

University of Richmond

Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship

Spiders Repeat In 4x800M Relay On Final Day of A-10 Championships

05/06/2018 | Women's Track & Field

FAIRFAX, Va. -- The Spiders record-setting 4x800M relay team continued their historic outdoor season Sunday at the A-10 Championships, winning the event for a second straight season.

Sophomore Maria Acosta and senior Marisa Ruskan, both coming off top-three finishes in individual events earlier in the day, ran the first two legs and gave the Spiders a lead of more than 50 meters halfway through the race. Senior Haley Preschutti maintained the advantage over the third leg and freshman Brooke Fazio was never pressured on her anchor leg as Richmond cruised to the title in a time of 8:49.99, 10 seconds in front of second-place Davidson.

"We're so strong there right now. The girls are running really well," Head Coach Lori Taylor said of the winning relay team.

The medal was Ruskin's second of the day. Earlier Sunday, she stayed close behind UMass standout Heather Maclean for most of the 1,500 meter final and held off several challengers down the stretch to finish in second place with a time of 4:25.09, her second best of the season. "Finishing second to Heather MacLean from UMass, who will undoubtedly be an All-American and is one of the top kids in the country right now, Marisa had a really great race," said Taylor.

In the middle of the three sections in the 1,500 meter final, freshman Caroline Robelen (4:32.85) and senior Haley Preschutti (4:33.07) finished first and second, both qualifying for next week's ECAC Championships and earning ninth and 10^th place in the overall 1,500 meter results, respectively.

The Spiders other individual medalist on Sunday was Maria Acosta, who finished third in the 800 meters in a time of 2:09.28. It was just one of several strong runs from Acosta over the two days. "Maria Acosta had an unbelievable weekend," Taylor said. Coming back in an incredible 800 field and being third then an incredible leg on the four by eight and an incredible leg on the four by four. That really spreads our team out so that we are stronger in those long sprints."

Acosta's blazing anchor leg in the 4x400M secured a fifth-place finish for the Spiders in the event in a time of 3:48.99. "Getting fifth is a big step from not having a four by four that even scores. … There is some really great movement in events that we expect and want to do well in," said Taylor, also referencing Haley Berkley's eighth-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles on Sunday and Eryn Mills finishing fourth in Saturday's steeplechase.

Also finishing in points position on Sunday was junior Colleen Carney, who placed fifth with a time of 17:07.36 in a crowded 5,000 meters field that included 37 runners.

In the day's first event, the Spiders 4x100M relay team finished in a season-best time of 48.11 seconds, placing 10^th.

As a team, the Spiders finished with 38 points, placing them 10^th in the field. "The team finish is not what we're looking for at all," said Taylor. "We expect to be a top-five team, then top-three, then in a couple years be in a position to win. And we feel like we can do that now that we've got really good people in place and the coaching staff in place to get those athletes in. … We're really excited about the recruiting that happened this year and the group of women that are going to be joining us next year."

Several Spiders will return to the track next weekend at the ECAC Championships at Princeton University.