Arnold Powers Falcons At Akron Invitational

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Akron, Ohio – Already one of the fastest women in the Mid-American Conference, Bowling Green State University senior Alicia Arnold set personal best times in the 60 and 200 to lead the Falcons on day two of the Akron Invitational.

Along with Arnold's strong showing during the weekend, sophomore Kyla Paster earned the team's 13^th Mid-American Conference automatic qualifying bid this year, setting a new personal best in the triple jump. The Falcons added numerous other personal bests across numerous events, positioning the team for a strong showing at the MAC Championships at the end of the month.

"We took some really nice steps this weekend and continued to build momentum towards the MAC Championships," BGSU Track and Field Coach Lou Snelling said. "We need to keep that going next Friday at our last major meet before conference."

Arnold began the day with a time of 7.53 seconds in the 60 prelims, bettering her previous personal record of 7.57 seconds at the BG Opener earlier this year. That time makes her the third fastest woman in BGSU history in the event. She followed it up with a time of 7.55 seconds in the finals.

After her performance in the 60, she closed out the day with a time of 24.28 seconds to win the meet's gold division (elite) in the 200. It shattered her time of 24.49 seconds at the MAC Championships a year ago, when she finished third in the conference. It is the second-fastest 200 race in program history (behind only Jeanette Pettigrew's 24.14 in 2014) and the No. 2 performance in the league this year.

Paster became the third Falcon to earn automatic qualifying to the MAC Championship in the triple jump, leaping 38-feet-8.75 to place second in the blue division. Only four student-athletes in the MAC entered the weekend with a better jump this year. Senior Tiera Parker, who ranks third in the league in the triple jump, leaped 39-2.5 to surpass the 39-foot barrier for the third time this year.

The Falcons had other strong efforts on the day, including redshirt junior Kayla Velasquez, who won the blue division of the weight throw at 57-10.25. Redshirt junior Taylor Rambo had a season-best 57.53 seconds in the 400 and junior Gabrielle Edwards (58.64) and freshman Cheyenne Oswald (59.17) set personal bests in the event. Senior Kera Lamotte set a personal best in the 200 with a time of 24.93 seconds, while Aliyah Gustafson came up less than one inch short of her career best in the shot put at 51-4.25.

Bowling Green is slated to compete at two meets during the upcoming weekend, entering Friday at the Findlay Open and Elite Throws meet as well as the GVSU Big Meet.

Akron Invitational
Weight throw Blue – 1. Kayla Velasquez 57-10.25, 7. Aliyah Gustafson 53-1.75, 12. Allie Farmer 50-0.75
Weight throw Gold – 8. Kori Reiser 56-5.25
Triple jump Blue – 2. Kyla Paster 38-8.75, 10. Africa Strodes 35-4
Triple jump Gold – 6. Tiera Parker 39-2.5
Long jump Gold – 5. Jade Nolan 19-3.5, 10. Kyla Paster 17-11
Shot put Gold – 5. Aliyah Gustafson 51-4.25, 8. Makenzie Wheat 48-6
High jump Gold – 6. Raven Porter 5-6.5
60 hurdles – 20. Sydnee Matthew 9.15, 26. Demetra Taylor 9.26
60 prelims – 2. Alicia Arnold 7.53, t10. Tiera Parker 7.71, 13. Dorresha Green 7.77
60 finals – 3. Alicia Arnold 7.55
200 Blue – 3. Cortisha Short 25.35, 17. Brianna Johnson 25.92
200 Gold – 1. Alicia Arnold 24.28, 4. Kera Lamotte 24.93
400 Blue – 8. Gabrielle Edwards 58.64, 12. Cheyenne Oswald 59.17
400 Gold – 8. Taylor Rambo 57.53
800 Blue – 29. Natalee Cole 2:28.45

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Players Mentioned

Alicia Arnold

Natalee Cole

Gabrielle Edwards

Allie Farmer

Dorresha Green

Aliyah Gustafson

Brianna Johnson

Kera Lamotte

Sydnee Matthew

Jade Nolan

Cheyenne Oswald

Tiera Parker

Kyla Paster

Raven Porter

Taylor Rambo

Kori Reiser

Cortisha Short

Africa Strodes

Demetra Taylor

Kayla Velasquez

Makenzie Wheat

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