Two more Lions in finals

FRESNO ? Vanguard University freshmen Grace Jepngetich and Rebecca Sopp each advanced to today’s finals of the women’s 5,000 meter run at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.

Jepngetich finished fourth in the first heat of the semifinals with her time of 18 minutes, 3.05 seconds, the seventh-fastest on the day at Fresno Pacific University. In finishing top six in her heat, she secured an automatic berth to the finals.

Sopp finished seventh in the second 5,000 semifinal heat with a time of 18:16.11. That gave her the 14th seed in the 16-member final and one of four at-large berths. She had previously placed ninth in the 10,000-meter final on Thursday.

Other Vanguard athletes competing today include junior Laura Bowman in the 3000-meter steeplechase final, senior Jenny Thune in the women’s 1,500 final and senior Matt Meyer in the men’s 1,500 final.

TRACK AND FIELD