LHU’s Moyer paces women’s track & field opener
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Lock Haven University women’s outdoor track & field team opened the 2021 season Saturday at home as the Bald Eagles hosted the Elliston Earlybird Open.
The meet is named for longtime and former head LHU coach Mark Elliston. Elliston, now the director of track and field and cross country at Elon University, led the Bald Eagles to a number of honors during his time in The Haven.
Leading the way for the women was distance-standout Laurel Moyer (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain). Last week, she placed second at the 2020-21 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) cross country championships and Saturday, she wasted no time turning in a solid performance on the track. Moyer ran the fastest women’s 5,000-meter time in Hubert Jack Stadium history and she anchored the first-place distance medley relay team that also broke a stadium record.
Moyer won the 5K with a time of 17:16.44, which wasn’t far from hitting an NCAA Division II championship provisional mark. The time currently ranks fourth in the nation (DII).
The 5K proved to be a strong event for the Bald Eagles. Cadie Kiser (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) was second with a time of 18:36.40, while Morgan Perry (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) and Karlee Noel (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) placed sixth (19:37.12) and ninth (19:54.98).
Early in the day, Elaina Klinger (Danville, Pa./Danville) was second in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:58.08.
Sprinter Riyana Owens (Red Lion, Pa./Dallastown) was second in the 200m (25.99) and fourth in the 100m (12.80).
Karina Long (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and Billie Jo Bollinger (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) finished second in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles, respectively. Long hit a mark of 17-03.50 and Bollinger ran 16.02. Both Long and Bollinger are members of Lock Haven’s Division I field hockey team that recorded a huge upset-win over No. 20 Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon. Tia Judy (East Prospect, Pa./Homeschooled), another member of the field hockey team, was also in action for the Bald Eagles. Judy finished eighth in the 800-meter run.
Emily Labar (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) was third in the high jump (4-11.00).
The distance medley relay – – Klinger, McKenzie Rhone, Caroline Stickley & Moyer – – won with a stadium-record time of 12:55.50. Rhone added a fifth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles (1:09.00) and Stickley was eighth in the 1,500-meter run.
Megan Manglaviti (Falls, Pa./Tunkhannock) was third in the hammer throw (132-05).
LHU will return to action next weekend (Saturday, April 3) at the Millersville Metrics meet.
