MIT REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH WIN OVER TUFTS IN 5-WAY MEET
January 27, 2007
MIT coaches expected a let down in performances after last week's exciting win over Williams College but the team would have none of it as they remained undefeated after a win over Tufts, Bowdoin, Springfield and Colby to move their record to 9-0. Some of the Tufts runners attended a meet at Boston University in hopes to run faster times on the banked track, but it may not have made a difference as the Engineers came away with a 46 point victory with a total of 185.5 points to 139.5 for Tufts. Springfield followed with 119 points, followed by 75 for host Bowdoin and 35 for Colby.
The horizontal jumpers came into the competition trailing the Tufts jumpers in the New England rankings. The quickly improving jumpers were ready for the challenge as demonstrated by a 2-3-4 finish in the long jump, led by Chris Bateman's 21-5 1/4, and a 2-4-5-6 placing in the triple jump led by Stephen Morton's freshman record of 45-4 1/4. With only six places scoring and a scoring system of 10-8-6-4-2-1, it was paramount to get high places as well as a majority of all six scoring places so the Engineers could make up for a lack of points in the weight throw and high jump.
The distance runners were not to be outdone. Also improving each week, the "distance dudes" took advantage of this meet having both the 3000 and 5000 meter races. In the 3000, Joe Roy-Mayhew led Tech to a 2-5-6 finish with a new personal best of 8:44.93. In the 5000, Dave Sorenson of Tufts went out hard, opening up a 15 second lead on the field, including MIT freshmen, Johannes Schneider and Hemagiri Arumugam. At the 3200 meter mark, Schneider began closing the gap, negatively splitting a final mile in 4:50. With one lap to go Schneider went to go around Sorenson, who was stepping out himself to go around a lapped group of runners. Schneider did not allow sufficient room and ended up on the losing end of contact with 150 meters to go. Although he did not win, Schneider ran a superb 15:21.77 to lead a 2-3-4-5 domination of the 5K by MIT.
The pole vault was certainly not lacking an MIT presence. Despite a no-height performance by Greg Tao due to his pole being broken early in the competition by Cody Rebholz (tied for 6th), Omari Stephens led the remaining Tech vaulters to a 1-2-3 placing with a personal best 14-9 effort.
Despite being a little ill, Jake Ruzevick dominated the mile run wire to wire with a 4:20.46 time before calling it quits for the day. Also in the mile, Yermie Cohen had his best MIT meet to this point, leading all scorers with 18.5 points. Cohen earned a third in the mile with an indoor PR of 4:26.00, won the 1000 in 2:36.22 and ran a 2:02.8 leg on the winning 4x800 relay. Following Cohen to the line in the 1000 was Bill Phipps, just .04 behind for second place.
Although he was recovering from an illness earlier in the week, Liam Fedus ran to a personal best in the 600 to move to number five on the MIT all-time 600 list. Fedus also struggled through a leg in the 200 and the 4x400 but was happy when the day was done.
MIT's next meet is on Monday, February 5 at Boston University vs. Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern and Providence College, all division I colleges.