Three Illini Win Event Titles at Billy Hayes Invite

Women's Track & Field May 3, 2014

Three Illini Win Event Titles at Billy Hayes Invite

May 3, 2014

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Illinois women's track and field team competed in its final meet of the regular season on Saturday. Three Illini won event titles, while the team notched 10 other top-three finishes, including a second-place finish in the 4x100m relay.

Jescia Ejesieme continued her success is on the 100m hurdles, winning her third event title of the season. The senior clocked a time of 13.72 to win the event, while teammate Kawanna Brooks placed second with a time of 14.19. Ahlivia Spencer captured the 800m title with a time of 2:08.58, while Jazjuan Wallace-Sipp won the discus with a mark of 49.84m.

Kymbriona Taylor placed third in the 100m dash with a time of 11.95. The sophomore clocked her second-fastest time of the season, 11.87, in the prelims to advance to the finals. In the 200m, Asia Thomas clocked a personal-best time of 24.13 to place third. Thomas also competed in the 400m and placed second with a season-best time of 54.34, the seventh fastest time in the Big Ten this season. Ejesieme represented the Illini in the 400m hurdles and placed second with her second-fastest time of the season, 59.04.

Alyssa Schneider competed in the 1,500m for the second time this season and placed second with a personal-best time of 4:22.53. The time is the seventh-fastest in school history and currently ranks sixth in the Big Ten this season. The 4x100m relay team ran the fastest time of the season to place second. The team of Kymbriona Taylor, Claire Kieger, Jesica Ejesieme and Kawanna Brooks finished with a time of 45.80, the seventh-fastest time in the Big Ten this season.

In the field events, the Illini notched two top-three finishes in the javelin. Tess Johnson placed second with a mark of 37.58m, while Lela Dimonte threw a mark of 35.54m to place third. Kandie Bloch-Jones cleared a height of 1.71m, her second-best of the outdoor season, to place third in the high jump.

The Orange and Blue have next weekend off before traveling to West Lafayette, Indiana for the Big Ten Championships on May 16-18.

Illinois Top-Three Finishes

100m
3. Kymbriona Taylor, 11.95

100m Hurdles
1. Jesica Ejesieme, 13.72
2. Kawanna Brooks, 14.19

200m
3. Asia Thomas, 24.13

400m
2. Asia Thomas, 54.34

400m Hurdles
2. Jesica Ejesieme, 59.04

800m
1. Ahlivia Spencer, 2:08.58

1,500m
2. Alyssa Schneider, 4:22.53

4x100m
2. Kymbriona Taylor, Claire Kieger, Jesica Ejesieme, Kawanna Brooks, 45.80

High Jump
3. Kandie Bloch-Jones, 1.71m

Discus
1. Jazjuan Wallace-Sipp, 49.84m