Wildcats Pile Up Top-10 Finishes At Benedictine Invitational

4/7/2018 5:49:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track

LISLE, Ill. – Sophomore Kelly O'Brien crossed the line a half-second before classmate Aubrey Roberts to capture the 1500M race on a strong Saturday for the Wildcats at the Benedictine Invitational. Northwestern posted 14 Top-10 results over the course of the day in DuPage County.

The meet afforded head coach 'AHavahla Haynes to get some speed work for her team, working in shorter distances than the 'Cats normally compete at.

A sophomore from Palatine, Illinois, O'Brien crossed the line in 4:29.39 for the 1500M win, .55 seconds ahead of Roberts and five seconds ahead of teammate Isabel Seidel in third.

O'Brien was one of eight Northwestern runners doing double-duty on Saturday, also finishing sixth in the 400M later in the day. Roberts, Isabel Seidel, Sarah Nicholson, Brooke Pigneri, Hannah Tobin, Mandy Davis and Andrea Ostenso all competed in the 1500M and the bounced back to run in the 800M.

Roberts was the first Wildcats runner across the line in the 800, finishing second in a time of 2:19.48, followed by Davis in fourth and Seidel in fifth. All told, Northwestern occupied seven of the top ten spots in the event.

The performances created some movement in the program's all-time Top-10 lists, with Roberts posting the No. 2 time in Wildcats history in the 1500M, and then the No. 5 time in the 800, where Davis turned in the No. 7 time and Seidel clocked No. 8.

The Wildcats will head west in two weeks, with the squad split between the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, and the Mt. Sac Relays in Torrance.

1500M:
Kelly O'Brien – 4:29.39 (1)
Aubrey Roberts – 4:29.94 (2)
Isabel Seidel – 4:34.97 (3)
Sarah Nicholson – 4:45.38 (5)
Brooke Pigneri – 4:51.99 (8)
Hannah Tobin – 4:52.52 (9)
Amanda Davis – 4:53.11 (11)
Andrea Ostenso – 4:54.60 (12)
Sara Coffey – 4:58.88 (14)
Mary Orders – 5:05.57 (18)
Haley Albers – 5:06.25 (19)

800M:
Aubrey Roberts – 2:19.48 (2)
Amanda Davis – 2:25.14 (4)
Isabel Seidel – 2:25.44 (5)
Sarah Nicholson – 2:28.74 (6)
Hannah Tobin – 2:29.45 (7)
Brooke Pigneri – 2:30.32 (8)
Andrea Ostenso – 2:31.35 (9)
MacKenzie Wilson – 2:43.77 (16)

400M:
Kelly O'Brien – 1:00.57 (6)
Ishwari DasGupta – 1:17.19 (25)