Duronal Monal did everything he could to try to lift the ETSU men’s track and field team to its fourth Atlantic Sun Indoor Championship. However, when it was all said and done the Buccaneers’ lost the conference crown to Kennesaw State by the slimmest of margins.After entering the day with a 23-point lead over Kennesaw State, the Bucs saw their margin slowly fade away. With 16 events scored, ETSU trailed Kennesaw by two points heading into the 4x400m relay – meaning the Bucs needed to finish first to earn at least a share of the conference crown.

That’s when Monal looked to carry the Bucs on his back and track down KSU’s Ethan Kasson in the final leg of the relay; however, as both athletes lunged across the finish line the Owls nipped ETSU by two-hundredths of a second for the title – 3:15.67 to 3:15.69.

When all the dust settled, Kennesaw State edged out the Bucs by four total points – 187 to 183.

“We have a young team and besides coming so close today; the thing I’ll take from this is how our team rallied around each other after losing,” said Byrne.

In total, Monal bagged 23 points, as he claimed conference titles in the 60m and 200m.

After the competition was settled, Monal came away with two top honors at the awards ceremony – Most Valuable Performer (overall points) and Most Outstanding Track Performer.

In total, Monal bagged 23 points, as he claimed conference titles in the 60m and 200m; while finishing with one point in the 400m and two in the 4x400m relay.

Monal set a NCAA Provisional Mark and school record in the prelims of the 60 (6.71); while breaking former Buccaneer sprinter James Rainer’s conference time in the 200m (21.22) – which also set a provisional mark.

“In the heptathlon, you can’t say enough about the performances of Nic and Jordan,” said Byrne. “Both guys are tremendous competitors. I know we were hoping to get Max Lee in the top-three, but I’m extremely proud with how things turned out for both our seniors this afternoon.”

Two key turning points in the meet included junior Mike James being disqualified in the prelims of the 60mH and the performance at the end of the 5000m.

Meanwhile, the Bucs caught a bad break in the 5000m – which in the end – made the 4x400m that more important to win. Senior Kenneth Rotich scored eight points with his second-place effort, and Ben Ronoh provided four points with his fifth-place finish.

However, the Owls picked up valuable points at the back end of the race, scoring two for seventh place and Nathan Haskins beating Belmont’s Jordan Anderson by seven one-thousandths of the second for eighth and one point.

On the women’s side, Jacksonville again cruised its way to a fifth straight A-Sun title.

The Dolphins scored 211 points, while Kennesaw State finished second with 154 total points.

The Lady Bucs took fifth after ending the meet with 45 points.

Senior Zachlynn Blackburn, the lone Lady Buccaneer athlete to capture gold this weekend, won the weight throw with a record-setting toss of 56-02.50.

Blackburn’s heave set a new ETSU record, as her previous best was 55-07.75.

Junior Jasmine Ingram posted a second-place effort in the 400m.

Ingram clocked in at 56.32 and trailed Jacksonville’s Danielle Davenport for the title. Ingram also ran a leg in the 4x400m relay that finished third.

Freshman Kelly Monteleone scored three points in the triple jump after finishing sixth with a leap of 37-09.25.

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