MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's Ava Claussen-Tubbs waited for the final lap to make her move in the women's 1500-meter run at Friday's Midwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The strategy proved golden once again.
 
Claussen-Tubbs broke free from a tight pack and coasted home for her 12th career MWC title at Van Metre Field at Ash Park. The senior crossed in 4:39.56, nearly two seconds ahead of Ripon's runner-up Jenny Cortes.
 
Claussen-Tubbs repeated as 1500 champion, while senior teammate Mackenzie Engbert clocked a personal-best 4:42.71 to earn all-conference status in third place.
 
That capped a solid opening day for the Rams, who are tied for fourth place with Monmouth in the team standings at 31 points. Grinnell leads with 45 points, followed by Ripon (35) and Illinois College (34).
 
The Championships resume at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with field events. Running starts at 12:15 p.m.    
 
Cornell fielded three point-scorers in the 10000, highlighted by Lidia Dahlman's runner-up effort in 37:53.56, which was a personal-best. The sophomore ran under the facility record, now owned by Ripon's Joley Berger (37:01.25).
 
Zoe Peesel (40:59.54) and Milar Little (41:13.62) finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
 
The Rams added points in the field events with Robin Mar taking seventh in the javelin (94-1) and Sia Bear eighth in the long jump (16-1).
 
First-year Jayda Carnes posted the fastest prelims time in the 400 (59.58) and qualified fifth in the 200 (26.26).
 
Hailey Carolan put herself in medal contention for Saturday's hurdles races, qualifying second in the 100H (15.62) and third in the 400H (1:09.14). Cora Talbert qualified fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.59), Alexa Hugart eighth in the 400 hurdles (1:12.07).