"Team" was the one word that kept coming up when speaking with the Women's Track and Field Team.
The Cardinals took first place this past Saturday at the OAC Championships.
Otterbein beat out the other 10 teams of the conference to bring home the title for the second year in a row.
However, Stacey Schall had "mixed emotions" throughout the meet.
Schall is a part of the hurdle team that has dominated the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Saturday was one of the few meets where an Otterbein hurdler hadn't taken a first-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles.
"We had to get over it, and win the meet, said Schall. Even without a first-place finish, the hurdlers brought in a total of 37 points for the Cardinals.
When Coach Welsh was asked to describe the first-place finish in one word, he quickly said, "special."
"Everyone wasn't as much concerned with their times but the points. That is just what we asked them to do," said Welsh "It is always a team title, but this one really had a team feel."
Sophomore Nicole Reese and freshman Andrea Pautsch were names that Coach Welsh mentioned as being contributors to the victory.
Reese finished first in the Steeplechase and Pautsch was fourth.
"Everyone came together as a team. There were a lot of great performances," said Reese.
Pautsch agreed with everything Reese had to say but wanted to add, "on a personal lever it felt good to help the team out."
The first-place finish could not be mentioned without saying the name Emily Bonnette or Allyson Tobin.
The freshman jumping star has been a great asset to the team this season. Bonnette had placed second in the long jump earlier in the meet, but finished in first place in the triple jump.
All-American Allyson Tobin won the shot put for the third year in a row. Katie Homan won the discus for the first time.
The Cardinals will compete May 2 and 3 at the Jesse Owens Track Classic at The Ohio State University. t&c;
