NORTHHAMPTON, Mass. – The Castleton women's track and field team opened their season at the Mary Grinaker Invitational this Saturday, earning several top-five finishes as well as a new program-best in their first meet of the season.
 
The morning began at the field, with freshman Jenna Schott earning third place in the shot put after throwing 10.50 meters. Layne Cronin — throwing a personal best 9.12 meters — and Isabell Lanfear also earned top-10 finishes, with Laconia LaBrake and Morgan Zuzick rounding out the finishers for the Spartans. In the pole vault, Danielle Solomon was the lone Castleton athlete competing, finishing tied for fourth with a 2.15-meter vault.
 
Shay Lawrence had a strong day in the sprints for the Spartans, finishing fourth in the 60-meter dash (8.47), 200-meter dash (28.75), and 400-meter run (1:04.39). Kiera Pipeling finished closed behind 200-meter, crossing the line in sixth with a time of 29.88.
 
Amber Cuthbert put together an impressive opening meet in the mid-distance and distance events, earning a fifth-place finish in the 800-meter, before finishing in sixth in the mile with a new program-best time of 5:47.622. Bethany Davis, who finished 10^th in the mile, had her day highlighted by a second-place finish in the 1000-meter, crossing the line at 3:40.221.
 
The Spartans return to action Saturday, December 10 to compete in the Utica Holiday Classic.