Track Starts Strong at CNU Invite

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Shenandoah University set two school records and established three others Friday at the Christopher Newport Indoor Track Invitational.

Sophomore Amy Smith led this group, turning in a 19:16.33 in the women's 5000 meters that was good for fourth overall.

Freshman Kirk Lewis had the other school record with a 7.38 in the men's 60 meter dash that also qualifies him for Saturday's finals.

Sophomore Kevin Schaeffer will join Lewis in racing for a championship tomorrow - he had a 10.06 in the 60 meter high hurdles that established a school best as well.

The Hornets top performance of the day came in the men's 4 x 200 meter relay where the team of Lewis, Schaeffer, Philip Volz and Tim Robinson was second overall with a 1:37.52.

SU had three additional top 10 performances, all on the women's side.

Sophomore Brandi Sobanko was sixth in the pentathlon by posting a score of 2414. Competing for the first time ever in the event, Sobanko recorded a 9.91 in the 55 meter high hurdles, 1.37 meters in the high jump and 4.33 in the long jump, threw the shot 7.79 meters and finished with a 2:40.49 in the 800 meters.

The final two top 10's came in the weight where Kelley Mitchell finished fourth and Amanda Theall seventh with tosses of 9.85 and 9.29 meters, respectively.

Sophomore Kyle Gutierrez rounded out the day one competitors with a 16:47.95 in the men's 5000 meters to finish 12^th.

Originally scheduled as a two-day meet, Saturday's second day has been cancelled due to the snowstorm forecast for the Hampton Roads area.