Women's Track & Field Wins Six Events at BSU Bears Invitational

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University sophomore Bella Grover (Warren, Mass.) was a double winner for the Bears women's outdoors track & field team at the BSU Bears Invitational.

Grover and four of her teammates had first-place finishes at the six-team meet held Friday at Mazzaferro Field.

BSU was joined by Curry, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Regis, Wentworth and Framingham State in the meet on Senior Day.

Grover was the winner in the high jump with a leap of four feet, 9.75 inches (1.47m) and placed first in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:10.75.

The other winners for BSU included senior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.), junior Janelle Murphy (Brockton, Mass.) plus sophomores Grace Inacio (Taunton, Mass.) and Oliva Downin (Hudson, Mass.).

Cass placed first in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 5:01.48. She crossed the finish line more than 25 seconds ahead of the second-place runner.

Murphy was the winner in the 3,000 steeplechase with a PR of 12:56.96.

Inacio took the 200-meter dash in 24.82 seconds, just shy of her school record.

Downin was the winner in the 800 with a time of 2:28.10.

Two BSU athletes registered second-place finishes, including sophomore Chloe Davies (Foxborough, Mass.) and freshman Madison Campbell (Weymouth, Mass.).

Davies equaled Grover with a leap of four feet, 9.75 inches (1.47m). Grover, however, won the event based on fewer attempts.

Campbell was the runnerup in the discus with a throw of 104 feet, five inches (31.83m) and was also third in the javelin (92'8"/28.25m).

BSU had two other third-place finishers, freshman Savana Malo (Milford, Mass.) and sophomore Jane Sitek Shaver (Burlington, Vt.).

Malo had a time of 26.78 in the 200 while Sitek Shaver threw the discus a personal-best 102 feet, two inches (31.14m).

Freshman Olivia Pendleton (Yarmouthport, Mass.) was fifth in the 800 with a time of 2:41.23.

Prior to the meet, BSU honored Cass and Lisa Jaeger (Halle, Germany) on Senior Day.

Former BSU track & field athletes also competed as BSU Alumni. Kiara Abrantes won the 400-meter dash and Juliana Patrone finished third in the high jump. 

The Bears will travel to Fitchburg State University on Saturday, April 25 for the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Championshipsat 10 a.m.