Loller Smashes 5K Personal Record in Tri-Conference Meet

Anderson University women's track and field freshman Noelle Loller clocked a 5,000-meter personal record of 20 minutes, 21.67 seconds during Saturday's Coach Rob NCAC/OAC/HCAC Challenge in Springfield, Ohio.
 
Loller took sixth place in the 5,000, smashing her 5,000 personal record (PR) from cross country season by 52.8 seconds. The Lapel native ranks fourth in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) in the 5,000.
 
"I ran the 5K and PRed by 52 seconds, so I'm really proud of myself," Loller said. "I'm looking forward to continue racing [the 5K] and see how much faster I can get."
 
Anderson earned seventh in the team standings with a team score of 30 points. The University of Mount Union rolled to first with 317 points, finishing ahead of Wittenberg University (100), Heidelberg University (86), Hanover College (66), Wilmington College (65), Earlham College (35) and Anderson.
 
"As an assessment of the day, both programs actually competed very well against some of the top Division III programs, especially in the case of Mount Union," Coach Sol Stephens said. "The women came out competed as hard as they could. There were some PRs in there to where it may not reflect in the scoresheet, but it reflects in where our attitude and effort has been going, because there are growth points still within those times and those distances."
 
Despite the Ravens competing in only their second meet of the season, they have already noticed massive progress.
 
"Our team performance was really good," Victoria Baver said. "We crushed a lot of PRs, we got our relays moving and we're starting to discover the pieces that fit into the puzzle."
 
"I think we all showed up and gave our best effort," Loller said. "Everyone is in the right mindset and we're going to keep working hard."
 
"We did really well," Emily Kelley said. "We have a really good team dynamic this year. I noticed that everyone was watching each other and cheering each other on. That helps us stay motivated and make the meet go quicker for all of us."
 
Mariah Muuray won the high jump, clearing a height of 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches). She currently leads the conference and ranks 32nd in the nation in the high jump.
 
"I think I did well in the high jump, but I think I can do better for conference," Murray said. [Saturday] wasn't the best meet for me on the track, but I think it was a good start."
 
The Ravens fielded a 4x200 relay of Murray, Emily Smatlak, Katelyn Englert and Baver, which locked up third (1:53.57). Anderson currently ranks third in the HCAC in the 4x200.
 
"I think the girls did really well [on Saturday]," Murray added. "I'm super proud of Noelle [Loller] for breaking her personal best. Our girls did well in the 4x200 and I think we saw some good competition to get ready for the conference meet."
 
Baver claimed eighth in the long jump with a leap of 4.83 meters (15 feet, 10.25 inches). The Garrett native is tied for fourth in the HCAC in the long jump. Baver also took fifth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 1.45 meters (4 feet, 9 inches).
 
"My individual performance was not my best, but overall it was a really good start to my season and I'm happy with how it was," Baver said.
 
Kelley hit a PR in the shot put with a toss of 9.70 meters (31 feet, 10 inches). She also recorded a distance of 12.77 meters (41 feet, 10.75 inches).
 
"[Saturday], I hit a PR in the shot put and did the best I've done this season in the weight throw," Kelley said. "I always feel I can do better, but overall, it went really well and I made finals."
 
Englert sprinted to seventh in the 60-meter hurdles finals with a time of 11.01 seconds. The Birdseye native charged to sixth in the 60-meter hurdles prelims with a time of 11.28 seconds. Englert also raced to a time of 29.35 seconds in the 200.
 
Donna Lenos cleared a height of 2.46 meters (8 feet, 0.75 inches) in the pole vault.
 
Makayla Barbour posted times of 3:09.88 in the 800 and 6:44.79 in the 1 mile.
 
"Everything isn't always winning and losing, especially within our sport, because you are basically competing against yourself," Stephens said. "We're now starting to get to that understanding within the program that we are competing against ourselves and the only controllable is ourselves, which means going to class, coming to practice and giving what you have at that time at that space. That development has been years in the making and now we are just hoping to build off that week-by-week to have a good 2020 season."
 
Anderson hosts the AU Indoor Invitational next Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Kardatzke Wellness Center. The Ravens are looking forward to having a home track advantage.
 
"I'm super excited for our home meet," Baver said. "It will nice for us to be home and show off what we can do. It will be good to see all of the people in our conference and see where we stand with them now and continue to make improvements."
 
"I think we'll do really well next week," Loller said. "I'm really excited to see how everyone does."
 
"I'm looking forward to meeting the incoming athletes that are going to visit, being around my family, being around my team, competing in front of friends and hopefully giving everyone a show," Murray said.
 
"Next week is going to be an exciting week," Kelley said. "It's going to be later in the evening, so hopefully, we will see a lot more fans and fellow classmates coming watch us perform."