As the anchor of the Kansas University women’s distance medley relay team, Katy Eisenmenger doesn’t often lap runners.

The senior did just that on Friday, though, passing Friends University on her third lap and overtaking Concordia College and Illinois-Chicago in the final lap of the team’s victory at the Kansas Relays.

Eisenmenger was able to show off her passing skills thanks to a blistering first leg by sophomore Laura Lavoie, who ran each of her three laps in decreasing times.

“She ran 32 (seconds) the last 200 (meters) Â a 32 flat, which is something you expect to see at the end of an 800, not a 1200,” KU distance coach Doug Clark said of Lavoie. “She was just really under control and sprinted away at the end and gave us a good lead for the second leg.”

Kim Clark ran the second leg and Stacy Keller ran the third, extending the team’s lead to 35 meters before Eisenmenger’s final four laps.

The team finished in 11:33.13, more than nine seconds slower than their season best, but Eisenmenger attributed the difference to the competition.

“My time was a lot slower than I would have liked,” she said, “but I can’t complain, I guess, since we won. The lack of competition made it a little more difficult than usual.”

The ease with which the team won may help today as well, as both Lavoie and Eisenmenger will compete in the 1500 today.

“There wasn’t too much adrenaline today,” Lavoie said. “It was kind of a gloomy atmosphere when we came here, but it was a fun race and I’m excited for tomorrow. I think me and Katy can push each other to a good time.”

Following the women’s victory, the Kansas men’s distance relay placed first in 9:54.88, despite being in second after the first leg.

Brian Blachly handed the baton off to Jabari Womble, who paced himself for the first half of his lap before passing Iowa State’s Ryan Nicholson in the final 150 meters and moving into first.

“I got the baton in second, and it’s always my theory to hand it off better than when you got it,” Womble said. “I knew that the wind would be at my back coming home so I ran a really conservative first 200 and then tried to turn it on coming down the homestretch.”

Brandon Hodges opened up a 10-meter lead in the third leg and Charlie Gruber held off ISU with the help of the first lap of his anchor leg being under 58 seconds.

“At first, with the way it started, I told myself I would get in that position out in front to take it easy,” Gruber said, “but once you get the adrenaline going it’s hard to keep it under control so I got out pretty quick.

“It cost me a little bit, but the guy behind me went out that quick, too, and I think my training is where I can handle that a lot better than most people.”