Sunday, April 30
Los Angeles, Calif.
1:00 PM
UCLA
at
USC
Records fell Sunday at Loker Stadium.
UCLA Men Take Down the Trojans
April 30, 2017 | Track & Field
LOS ANGELES โ For the second straight season the UCLA men's track and field team proved to be victorious, this time by a score of 88-75. The women fell by the margin of 86-77, Sunday afternoon at Loker Stadium on the campus of USC.
Just like in previous seasons, the dual meet brought out some lifetime bests and top-10 school marks.
Junior Leon Powell let the Trojans know they were in for a long day as he stormed the 100m straightaway to victory and snapped a 14-year Trojan winning streak in the event. ย He posted a lifetime best of 10.26 that moved him into ninth place in school history. The time was the fastest run by a Bruin since 2013.ย
The men's 4x100-meter relay started off the live television portion of the meet with an excellent effort. The Bruin squad of Powell, Rai Benjamin, Darnell Roberson, and Damion Marshall was pulled to a season-best time of 39.77, the fastest for a UCLA relay since 2012.
Benjamin had an impressive day on the track as well. He took second place in the 400-meters with a lifetime best of 45.72 and coasted to a victory in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.58. His 400m time of 45.72 is the fastest by a UCLA quarter-miler since Craig Everhart in 2006.ย
Junior Misana Viltz continued his hot streak of lifetime bests with another one in the 110-meter hurdles, posting a second-place time of 13.75. The time is the ninth fastest in school history and the fastest by a Bruin since 2008.ย
UCLA took advantage of its depth and talent in the distance races to secure precious points. The Bruin distance squad earned the sweep in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. On the women's side, sophomore Taylor Taite dominated the competition to win the event with a time of 11:05.49. On the men's side, redshirt sophomore Cole Smith took the victory with a time of 9:15.36 to lead the sweep of the Trojans.
In the 5000-meters, sophomore Jackie Garner edged teammate Daniela LoCastro to win the event with a time of 18:21.41. Freshman Sophie Baird took third at 18:24.ย
The men's 1,500-meters proved to be another dominant performance from the distance team as sophomore George Gleason (3:45.51), and freshman Garrett Reynolds (3:45.65) went 1-2 to lead the Bruins to another sweep.ย
The women's 800-meter competition became one of the most exciting events of the day as sophomore Julia Rizk kicked her way to the win at the line to post a lifetime best of 2:05.12. Freshman Cassandra Durgy finished third at 2:08.00. The time by Rizk is sixth all-time at UCLA.
UCLA was also strong in the field events. The Bruin women swept in the pole vault competition as sophomores Melissa Maneatis and Greta Wagner, and junior Elleyse Garrett all cleared 12-11.75 to take the nine points for UCLA. The clearance was a lifetime best for Maneatis, who officially won the event on misses.ย
Senior Sage Stone led the way to a Bruin sweep in the men's high jump with his clearance of 6-10.75. Juniors Kendall Gustafson and Kaelin Davis both cleared 5-8 to take second and third, respectively, for the Bruin women.
Freshman Isaiah Holmes took second in the men's long jump competition with his mark of 25-0.50. Junior Jessie Maduka finished second for the Bruin women with a mark of 20-2.25.ย
Maduka went on to lead a sweep in the women's triple jump with junior Efe Age (38-10.50) and sophomore Lilliana Hebert (38-04.25). Maduka's mark of 43-01 is a lifetime best and puts her seventh in school history.
The throws started the meet on Saturday in the hammer at El Camino College and were highlighted by a lifetime best throw from sophomore Justin Stafford of 201-2 to win the men's competition. On Sunday, the javelin competition was all UCLA. Sophomore Zaybree Haury launched two lifetime bests to win the event with a new school record throw of 171-4. Senior Monique Van and junior Kendall Gustafson took second and third, respectively, for the sweep. The men also swept the Trojans with freshman Simon Litzell leading the way with his mark of 218-10.
Senior Torie Owers paced the Bruins in the women's shot put with a second-place mark of 54-11.25. Sophomore Ashlie Blake was close behind in third at 54-10.75. Freshman Nate Esparza launched a lifetime best of 62-5 to take second in the men's competition.
In the discus, Ashlie Blake took the victory for the Bruin women with a solid throw of 160-5. Owers finished third at 151-0. Sophomore Dotun Ogundeji won the men's competition with his throw of 175-10.
The postseason will begin for the Bruins as the multis will head to Corvallis, Ore., on Saturday, May 6 to start the Pac-12 Combined Events Championships. The full championship will begin the next weekend on Saturday, May 13 at Eugene, Ore.ย
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Multi
/ Track & Field
Javelin
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Multi
/ Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
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