May 3, 2008

Complete Results

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy women's track and field team placed fifth at the 2008 Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships with 70.33 points. Individually, Erica Ziel and Arwyn Becker won titles in the 5,000-meter run and 3,000-meter steeplechase, respectively.

It was the lowest finish for the Navy women's track team at the Patriot League Championships in school history, who have suffered through a rash of injuries for the entire outdoor season.

"We are obviously disappointed with our performance this weekend. It's frustrating that we have had such a good run of placing in the top three," said Navy head coach Carla Criste. "I think final exams this week and injuries all year long just took a lot out of us. We were missing about 40 percent of our scoring production this weekend."

The Mids did piece together six point-getting performances, highlighted by Ziel and Becker. Ziel, a sophomore from Saginaw, Mich., won the 5,000-meter run with a clocking of 17:41.27. Teammate Amy Watson was third in 17:56.67.

Becker, a senior from Vail, Colo., took home top honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:59.01. She led a 1-2 Navy finish in the event as Maureen Dooley was second in 11:10.40.

Navy's other placewinners came from Katie Berkey in the triple jump, placing fifth with a leap of 38-1.5, while Jessica Orr was sixth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:05.87.

"I thought our distance group, especially Ziel, Watson, Becker and Dooley, performed well," said Criste. "Jackie Charnigo also performed well on Friday in the pole vault and we are looking forward to her competing in the ECAC Championship next weekend."

The Mids will compete in the ECAC Championship next Friday to Sunday in Princeton, N.J.

# GO NAVY #