LOWELL, MA (Apr. 12, 2008) – Freshman Jenna Lapachinski (Turners Falls, MA) and senior Tristin Johnson (Pittsfield, MA) each won two events to lead the UMass Lowell women’s track and field team at the George Davis Invitational Saturday at the Cushing Field Complex.

The non-scoring meet drew 15 Division II and III colleges and universities as well as several athletes representing postgraduate track and field clubs in and around New England.

Lapachinski captured the 400 meter hurdles – her second title in as many weeks – with a time of 1:06.89. She and Johnson, along with freshman Jayson-Ann Wright (Bronx, NY) and freshman Amy Pflanz (Burlington, MA), led UML’s 4X400 meter relay team to first place with a time of 4:18.25.

Johnson was also a part of UML’s 4X100 meter relay team which also won the title in 48.92 seconds. Joining her was freshman Shanika Pitts (Easton, MA) and sophomores Heather McCarthy (Burlington, MA) and Sharikka Finley-Moise (Lexington, MA).

The aforementioned also did very well individually in the sprints, led by Pitts, who placed second in the 100 meter dash (12.71 seconds) and led five River Hawks in the top six places.

Johnson placed third in 12.79 seconds and was followed by Finley Moise (12.85), sophomore Prisna Doriscat (Boston, MA), who placed fifth in 12.87, and McCarthy, who took sixth in 12.98.

Doriscat also took third in the 200 meter dash in 26.36 while Pitts placed fourth in 26.69.

Similarly, sophomore Jacqui Barrett (Woburn, MA) won her third straight shot put title and led a healthy UML contingent in the field. Barrett recorded a distance of 44 feet, 7.5 inches while freshman Bethany Staiti (Barre, MA) took fourth (38’ 2.75’’) and senior Katie Banfield (Billerica, MA) sixth (36’ 6.25’’).

Barrett also placed third in the discus with a distance of 99’ 5.0’’ while freshman Kate Johnston (Mansfield, MA) took fourth with a throw of 96’ 5.0’’.

Sophomore Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) captured her second title of the season in the 800 meters with a time of 2:18.63. Catarius led two teammates in the top five places as Wright took third in 2:23.80 and senior Amanda Sousa (Peabody, MA) fifth in 2:24.66.

Freshman Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH) captured the 1,500 meters in 4:45.36 while junior Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) placed second in 4:50.41.

In the hammer throw, senior Katie Brodeur (Lowell, MA) was among several River Hawks to garner second-place finishes. Brodeur threw for a distance of 135’ 6.0’’. Freshman Kaitlyn Akroyd (Methuen, MA) took second in the javelin (125’ 9.0’’) while Banfield placed sixth (106’ 5.0’’).

Senior Gillian Mundry (Methuen, MA) placed second in the long jump (17’ 10.25’’) while sophomore Courtney Lincoln (Mansfield, MA) placed second in the 100 meter hurdles (16.19).

UML enters the Larry Ellis Invitational Saturday at Princeton University.