Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

AMHERST - Junior Kerry Arouca and senior Marlee Berg earned second places in the All New England (Divisions I, II, III) championships held May 8-9 at UMass Amherst.

The talented duo led Westfield to 16th place with 21 points in the 36-team championship meet.

Arouca shattered her own school record in the 3,000 steeplechase and qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships with an outstanding time of 10:44.54. Arouca's previous best was 11:00.28 at the UMass Amherst Invitational in mid-April.

Williams College's Meghan Shea won the grueling race in 10:36.50. Arouca overtook Hartford's Elizabeth Foster (10:46.76) and New Hampshire's Sydne Fitzpatrick (10:47.41) on the final two laps for her strong second place effort.

Berg finished second in the high jump by clearing 5-4 1/2 and senior teammate Caitlin Handcock placed fourth (5-2 1/2). UMass Lowell's Lauren Raimondi also cleared 5-4 1/2 and was awarded the New England title based on fewer misses.

Berg competed in two other events. She placed 17th in the 200 meter dash but set a new school record with a time of 26.08. The versatile senior now holds school records in four events - 200, 500, high jump, and heptathlon - and is a member of three record-setting relay teams.

Berg placed 13th in the 100 hurdles (16.00). Also competing for the Owls were: senior Marianne Mealey (5,000, 14th, 18:16.77), Karen Dowe (triple jump, 15th, 35-10), and Jenn Simao (javelin, 20th, 106-10).