Women's distance medley relay, 800-meter results (PDF)
        Complete meet results (HTML)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sometimes, it comes down to a lean at the line.
 
On Friday, even with a significant best-ever performance, that lean didn't go the way of the Seattle Pacific women's distance medley relay team.
 
Racing for a top-8 spot and an All-American award at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Falcon foursome of freshmen Jessica Rawlins and Becca Houk, and juniors Lynelle Decker, and Anna Patti had to settle for almost-but-not-quite, finishing ninth at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
 
SPU completed the 4,000-meter event in 11 minutes, 40.68 seconds. Barely ahead – in 11:40.67 – was Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Alaska Anchorage.
 
In fact, the Falcons initially were listed as the eighth-place team on the scoreboard.  But after multiple looks at the video of the finish, meet officials determined that Seawolves 1,600-meter anchor runner Beatrice Decker had gotten over the line ever so slightly ahead of Falcons junior Patti (Renton, Wash. / Lindbergh HS).
 
"I knew when I had two laps left, and then at the bell lap, I started to go with just all I had," said Patti, who split 4:54 for her 1,600-meter leg – seven seconds faster than her previous best. "As I saw the last 15 (meters), a couple of girls swung around me."
 
Hillsdale of Michigan won in 11:25.61. Conference stablemate Simon Fraser was second in 11:28.28.
 
The Falcons came to Alabama as the 13^th and last seed at 11:47.33, a time they posted on Feb. 28 at the SPU Final Qualifier. That time left them outside of the top 12 teams guaranteed a spot in the race. But extra entries typically are added to most events, and word came on the afternoon of March 3 that Seattle Pacific had indeed been accepted for the DMR.
 
Friday's final time was a drop of almost seven seconds.
 
"We improved so much in just a few weeks," Patti said. "That's consoling, but it's hard to be so close and miss it."
 
Assistant coach Audra Smith agreed.
 
"They were all so solid. It's a little bittersweet, because they ran so fast," assistant coach Audra Smith said. "No one expected us to do what we did. It's kind of a bummer not to have the hardware. We were holding on by a hope at the finish line."
 
Earlier on Friday, Decker (Vancouver, Wash. / Mountain View HS) placed 14^th in the 800 meters in 2:13.68.
 
SPU does not have any events on Saturday. The outdoor season now will command full attention, beginning next Saturday, March 21, at the Rose City Preview in Gresham, Ore.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
NCAA Division II Championships
Friday, March 13, 2015
Birmingham CrossPlex / Birmingham, Ala.
(SPU events only)
                                  
FINALS
Distance medley relay – 1, Hillsdale 11:25.61. SPU placer – 9, Seattle Pacific (Jessica Rawlins, Becca Houk, Lynelle Decker, Anna Patti) 11:47.68.
 
PRELIMINARIES
(Top 8 to finals)
800 – 1, Taylor Stepanski (Saginaw Valley) 2:07.64. SPU competitor – 14, Lynelle Decker 2:13.68.