Friday, May 1, 1998
Bruins, Trojans, Cougars ready to meet at Drake
WOMEN"S TRACK: UCLA has dominated crosstown USC in dual
competition
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Twelve of 15. That’s what the No. 2 UCLA women’s track and field
team will be striving for on Saturday at Drake Stadium – its 12th
victory over crosstown rival No. 8 USC in 15 tries.
The Bruins host the Women of Troy and No. 3 Brigham Young in
what may be the most closely contested triangular meet yet.
It will be the 15th dual meeting between UCLA and USC. The
Bruins have dominated the series against Southern Cal 11-3,
including winning the last five. Last year, UCLA defeated ‘SC in
dual scoring, 82-63, while barely edging out Brigham Young 74-71.
The Bruins also came out victorious in the triangular scoring by
tallying 72 points to Troy’s 70 and BYU’s 39.
UCLA is looking for junior hurdler Joanna Hayes to have her
first solid outing of the year. Hayes had surgery in the off-season
and the Bruins have been slowly bringing her back to form.
Two weeks ago, Hayes set a season best 13.37 in the 100-meter
hurdles and a 59.07 in the 400-hurdles. Though the two times were
good enough to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Outdoor meet, the
times are off of her career best of 13.04 and 56.38. Last season,
Hayes won both Pac-10 titles in the 100 and 400-hurdles.
Hayes’ biggest challenger in the 100-hurdles will be Cougar
Tiffany Lott. The heptathlete, who is considered to be one of the
best collegiate athletes in the nation, has the nation’s ninth best
time in the event. In last year’s meet, Lott crossed the line at
12.81 while Hayes followed in at 13.09.
Lott will also compete in three other events for BYU. Lott is
entered in the javelin, the shot put and the high jump. However,
UCLA should have most of the field events locked up.
The Bruins have three throwers ranked among the top 10 in the
shot put. Senior Nada Kawar had a strong showing in last week’s
Cal/Nevada Championships, throwing a career best 57-5 3/4. Fellow
teammate Seilala Sua has a season best of 57-2 3/4 while Rachelle
Noble has thrown 52-8 3/4 this year.
UCLA also dominates in the discus, led by senior Suzy Powell’s
throw of 213-5. Powell is the Bruin leader in the javelin as well,
and it should be a tight race between Lott and Powell in that
event. Powell has a season best throw of 174-10 while Lott has
thrown 173-7.
Meanwhile, USC is hoping the speed of Tori Edwards and Grazyna
Penc will help end the drought against its city nemesis. Edwards
has the country’s fastest time this year, running the 100 in 11.05.
Meanwhile Penc has national leading times in the 800 (2:04.83) and
the 1,500 (4:15.13).
Perhaps the most exciting races of the day will be the relays.
The 400-meter relay is scheduled to start at 1:20 p.m. and, with
only 0.28 seconds separating the two teams (UCLA has clocked in a
season best 43.85 while USC has run a 44.13), should come down to
the wire. The 1,600-meter relay could be the meet deciding event
like it was two years ago. But Southern Cal owns the advantage in
this one, running a 3:32.91 to the Bruins’ 3:34.12.