'Cliffe Track Loses With Record Times

Despite breaking seven school records, the Radcliffe track team dropped its opening meet 57-61 to a surprisingly strong University of Rhode Island team.

Freshman Pat Gopaul and sophomore Kathy Rice eliminated two old records apiece. They both finished the 100-yd. dash in record time at 12.2 and 12.3 respectively. Gopaul also took first-place honors in the 220, while Rice shattered the existing long jump mark with a whopping 17'2"

The mile relay team of freshmen Carla Amble, Katherine Taylor, and Ellen Hart along with sophomore Sarah Linsley scored a thrilling comeback win to climax the meet.

Behind almost 150 yds. at the third handoff, Taylor ran the fastest quarter mile of her life to take the lead in the last stretch of her leg. Hart, running a strong anchor, carried the baton to victory in 4:22.0.

Coach Pappy Hunt said he was especially pleased with the relay time. "Anything under 4:20 is a class time and we are certainly getting down there," he said.

Hart also broke into the record books with her performance in the 100-meter hurdles, just edging out teammate Sue Harper for first place.

"The meet was so much fun," Hart said. "Not only did I see lots of girls I hadn't seen at practice in ages, but I felt much better doing my events in competition." She added, "I hadn't been getting over the hurdles in practice, but in a meet you get over them because there is nothing else to do."

Debbie Vogel's win in the shot put and Linsley's second-place finish in the mile round out the new records.

The disqualification of the Crimson 440 relay team swung the meet in URI's favor. "Take those points away from URI and give them to us and we would have won," Hunter said. "The girls were just an inch out of the baton-passing zone," he added.

Vogel thinks the female tracksters will have a great season this year. "We have lots of freshmen and sophomore shizzes," she said. "Soon we'll be a real powerhouse."

"I'm much impressed," Hunter said. "Just think, last week the girls were all lounging In Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, and the Carribean and today they still ran tough."