VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Catholic women's Indoor Track & Field Team traveled to Virginia Beach, Va. to compete in the Marlins First Chance meet in its season opener.  

Freshman Olivia Sobkowicz opened up her indoor collegiate career by breaking the 5000-meter program record with a time of 17:40.93. Sobkowicz placed first in the event.

Laurel McMahon rewrote the Catholic record books as well in the 5000-meter. The junior raced a time of 18:06.51, placing herself as the third best performer in program history with her third place finish.

This duo also stunned in the 3000 meter by placing first and second for Division III runners, finishing eighth and ninth overall. McMahon raced an indoor personal-best of 10:31.10 while Sobkowicz raced a 10:31.43. These times put the pair into the record book as the third and fourth best performers.

Lauren Pearson impressed in her collegiate high jump debut. With a height of 1.53 meters and second place finish, the freshman is now the 5th best performer in program history. Edith Tomasek also competed in the high jump, recording a distance of 1.44 meters.

Kate Quashne led the way for the Cardinals in the triple jump, placing fourth with a distance of 9.88 meters. 

Kortney Clipper qualified for the 60 meter finals with a time of 7.998 and an eighth place finish. Her finish awards her a spot in program history as the third best performer in the event.

Freshman Bridgid Cavanaugh competed in the one mile in her collegiate debut and finished fourth out of 15 athletes with a time of 5:26.89. 

In the 400 meter, Mia McConnell earned an indoor personal-best with a time of 1:01.08. She placed sixth out of 15. The junior, with her personal-best, enters the program record books as the tenth best performer in the 400 meter.

Alexa Grassi ran a 2:23.36 in the 800 meter, placing third overall and first for Division III runners. Bridgid Cavanaugh followed close behind with a time of 2:31.46. This result placed her sixth overall and third for Division III runners.

In the 200 meter, Kortney Clipper found herself entering the Catholic record books as the fourth best performer with a time of 26.55. This personal-best time placed her 13th of 42 runners. Teammates Sarah Schumacher (26.66) and Erin Buckley (26.87) also enter the record books as the fifth and eighth best performers in the event.

The Cardinals closed out the day with the 4x400 relay. Rachel Sprauer, Kate Hannan, Alicia Vo, and Grassi recorded a time of 4:14.35 and a second place finish. 

Up next, the Cardinals will host the Cardinal Track & Field Classic on January 17th at 10 AM.