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While the Brandeis men's and women's track and field squads were by no means the largest at the Tufts University Stampede on Saturday, they certainly made a statement, resulting in quality performances on both sides.
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The women placed in 14th out of 24 teams, while the men finished in 13th out of 20 competing squads.
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The women's sprinting contingent had numerous competitors. 
Brittany Bell '13 finished seventh in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.21 seconds. Melissa Darling '16 took 35th in the event, running the distance in 8.60 seconds. Michelle Fry '15 finished the 200 in 28.58 seconds, good for 27th place. Casey McGown '13 earned a 17th place result, finishing the 400 in one minute, 2.70 seconds.
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While the sprinters posted quality results, the middle distance and distance runners also put forth valiant efforts in a variety of different events.
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Kelsey Whitaker '16 ran the women's 1000-meter run in 3:04.72, good for fifth overall. She was the top first year to finish the race, providing the Judges with four crucial points. Rachel Keller '16 finished 11th in the event, running 3:13.65, ahead of Nora Owens '16, who finished 23rd in 3:31.90. 
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Gabriella Guillette '15 took 19th in the women's 800-meter run, completing the four-lap race in 2:43.64.
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In the women's mile, Amelia Lundkvist '14 and Victoria Sanford '14 finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in 5:10.05 and 5:11.15, combining for nine team points. Maggie Hensel '16 finished 16th in 5:34.61, while to round out the Judges' effort, Molly Paris '16 finished in 30th in 5:55.58.
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While Lundkvist failed to break the elusive five-minute barrier, she was satisfied with her performance. 
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"I got out much faster in the first half of the race than I normally do," she said. 
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"It was a step in the right direction and gave me another chance to race."
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After finishing the 60-meter dash, Bell and Darling finished in ninth and 14th, respectively, in the long jump, going 4.81 and 4.69 meters. Alyssa Fenenbock '15 placed 36th in the shot put, hurling 7.20 meters. 
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Vincent Asante '14 was Brandeis' top sprinter, contributing for eight out of 21 of Brandeis' total points. Asante snuck into the 60-meter dash finals after completing the preliminary round in 7.20 seconds, which gave him the seventh seed going into the final. 
Asante had a successful race in the finals, finishing behind Worcester State University sophomore Duy Truong for second place. Asante came back for the 200, completing the race in 23.67 seconds. 
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Joshua Hacunda '16 was the Judges top finisher in the 400-meter dash. His time of 52.96 seconds was good for 15th overall. 
Brandon Odze '16 took 40th, completing the two-lap race in 58.86 seconds. Odze also took 33rd in the 60-meter hurdles, going the distance in 11.69 seconds.
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In the men's mile, Ed Colvin '14 took sixth out of a competitive field in which the top 11 finishers were separated by six seconds, finishing in four minutes, 24.99 seconds. Grady Ward '16 ran 4:35.99, good enough for 20th overall. 
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Mik Kern '13 grabbed the Judges' lone victory at the meet, winning the 1000-meter run in 2:33.93. Kern, who ran 4:18.65 in the mile last week at the Boston University Terrier Invitational, gave the Judges 10 points with his victory.
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Brandeis boasted one competitor each in the throws and jumps. Kris Stinehart '14 finished 12th in the shot put throw and Adam Berger '15 placed 11th in the triple jump. Stinehart threw for 12.42 meters; Berger jumped 12.28 meters.
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Sanford noted that the Judges' biggest meets have yet to come.
"The Valentine meet at Boston University will be a big meet for our team," she said. "And, of course, the [University Athletic Association] Championships (at Case Western Reserve University on Feb. 22-23) are very important
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The Judges travel to Boston University for the Valentine Invitational on Friday and Saturday.