PRINCETON, N.J. - Despite a cold and raw day with intermittent rain, Villanova nevertheless put up several fast times in the sprint events at the Larry Ellis Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Sophomores Sterling Pierce (Voorhees, N.J.) and Harry Purcell (Dublin, Ireland) led the Wildcats with impressive races at Weaver Stadium as the team wrapped up two days of competition at the nearby meet.

Pierce finished sixth in the 200 meters with a time of 21.90 and placed seventh in the 100 meters in 10.94. Both times were his best of the season to this point as he rounds into top form. Purcell likewise had his best outing of the season in the 400 meters, crossing the finish line in 47.58 to win his heat and place third overall out of 40 runners.

The time of 47.58 is the fastest that Purcell has run in a collegiate race in the 400 meters. His personal best mark of 47.33 was set while in high school in Ireland. Saturday's race moved Purcell up the current season's performance list, and he sits less than two-tenths of a second from a time that would currently qualify for the NCAAA regional meet later in the year.

Senior Kyle Cartwright (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) and freshman Konrad Bayer (Naperville, Ill.) competed in the 400 meter hurdles, with Cartwright finishing sixth overall out of 29 competitors with a time of 54.12. Bayer crossed the finish line second in his heat and 18th overall with a time of 55.78. He lowered his personal best time after having previously run 56.21 at the Colonial Relays last month.

Villanova competed in two middle distance events on Saturday afternoon, with those results highlighted by sophomore Zach Swenson (Boulder, Colo.) finishing as the runner-up in the 1500 meters. He recorded a time of 3:57.55 to set a personal best while breaking the four-minute mark for the first time. Swenson's previous personal best of 4:03.91 came at the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton two weeks ago.

Redshirt freshman Lucas Arrivo (Ann Arbor, Mich.) ran in the 800 meters on Saturday afternoon and recorded a time of 1:55.57, placing 16th in a field of 30 runners.

Two field events were also on Saturday's schedule. Junior James Deutmeyer (Rye, N.Y.) cleared the bar in the pole vault at a height of 4.65 meters. Freshman Steve Testa (Warminster, Pa.) and sophomore Aaron Elcock (West Chester, Pa.) tallied marks of 13.52 meters and 13.13 meters, respectively, in the triple jump.

A group of Wildcats will be in competition on Tuesday afternoon starting at 4 p.m. in the Haverford Invitational. Later in the week, the 123rd running of the Penn Relays takes place at Franklin Field.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS

100 Meters

Sterling Pierce                  7th of 35                    10.94      

200 Meters

Sterling Pierce                  6th of 29                    21.90      

400 Meters

Harry Purcell                    3rd of 40                    47.58      

400 Meter Hurdles

Kyle Cartwright                  6th of 29                    54.12         Konrad Bayer                     18th                         55.78      

800 Meters

Lucas Arrivo                     16th of 30                   1:55.57

1500 Meters

Zach Swenson                     2nd of 23                    3:57.55

Pole Vault

James Deutmeyer                  tie-9th of 11                4.65m

Triple Jump

Steve Testa                      8th of 11                    13.52mAaron Elcock                     10th                         13.13m