FAYETTEVILLE — As usual, Arkansas Razorbacks juniors Lexi Jacobus and Tori Hoggard were double trouble for the rest of their pole vault competitors.
Jacobus and Hoggard — twin sisters from Cabot — took 1-2 at the National Relay Championships on Saturday at John McDonnell Field.
Both cleared 14 feet, 9 1/2 inches, but Jacobus won because she cleared her first attempt at that height and Hoggard cleared on her second attempt.
Jacobus and Hoggard each missed three attempts at 15-1 1/2, which would put them in the national lead.
Virginia Tech freshman Lisa Gunnarsson had the top mark nationally at 15-1, which she cleared to be the top collegian at the Texas Relays, where Jacobus and Hoggard had the second and third marks in the NCAA ranks at 14-11 and 14-9, respectively.
Virginia Tech brought a team to Fayetteville this weekend, but Gunnarsson didn’t compete.
“[Gunnarsson] has the national lead, so it would have been nice to jump against her again,” Hoggard said. “But hopefully we’ll see her again at nationals.”
Virginia Tech freshman Rachel Baxter took third Saturday, and Texas senior Kathy Long was fourth with both clearing 14-3 1/2.
“We still had some really good competition here with a lot of girls clearing some big bars,” Jacobus said. “We have a lot of big indoor meets, but not so much outdoors. So it was nice to bring in a lot of good teams here.”
Jacobus and Hoggard have taken the top two spots in meets numerous times during their three years at Arkansas, including at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.
“When we’re competing in front of our home crowd, it’s always nice to go out there and win and take second as well,” Jacobus said. “We wanted to put on a good show for the fans.”
Jacobus and Hoggard both came close to clearing their attempts at 15-1 1/2.
“I really thought we both had made it,” Jacobus said. “My second attempt was really close. The bar stayed up there for a few seconds and then it fell.
“I know I have 15-1 in me, and I felt really good in warmups. My practices earlier this week felt really good. I some good attempts at it, but I just couldn’t make the bar stay up there.”
For a second or two on each of their first two attempts, it appeared both twins would take over the national lead.
“That would have been amazing,” Hoggard said. “Maybe it’ll happen at the SEC meet.”
For now the twins remain second and third nationally.
“It’s always nice to be at the top of the list throughout the season,” Jacobus said. “But I feel we’re jumping well. I thought we both jumped well today.”
Hoggard said she felt good about her first two attempts at 15-1 1/2.
“Honestly, I thought I had it,” she said. “They both just felt like really good jumps.
“I’ve kind of been struggling lately with my takeoff, but today I felt like today I was hitting it right. Now I know what I’ve got to fix to get those next couple of inches.
“The top of the jump was a little messy, too. I’ve just got clean that up.”
Razorbacks Coach Lance Harter said it was still a strong showing by the twins.
“Any time you’re knocking on the door of 15 feet that’s pretty rarified air,” Harter said. “They had really close attempts, so in the weeks to come I wouldn’t be surprised if they both make it.
“They’re just such great competitors and so consistent. That’s not the nature of the pole vault, but they make it a very consistent competition for us.”
Hoggard said she needs to keep her season in perspective.
“I just jumped 14-9. That’s a great bar,” she said. “I jumped that at Texas Relays and jumped it again today, so I’m jumping well.
“Going 1-2 is always fun to do. I wish we both cleared 15-1, but I felt we both had a good day.”
The SEC Championships are May 10-12 in Knoxville, Tenn.
“I’m looking forward to going to Knoxville,” Jacobus said. “We’ve never jumped at that facility before, so I’m anxious to see what that will be like.”
The NCAA West preliminaries will be May 24-26 in Sacramento, Calif., with the NCAA Championships June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.
“I think we’ve got a lot of confidence,” Hoggard said of the twins. “We feel good and we’ll be ready to go for the championship season.”
Arkansas senior Taliyah Brooks, the NCAA heptathlon champion, wore a boot on her right leg Saturday after feeling soreness in her heel during Friday’s long jump, but Harter said the injury isn’t serious.
“Our trainers said it’s something we can manage with Taliyah,” Harter said. “So she should be ready for the SEC meet in a couple of weeks.”