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The Valparaiso University men’s track and field team scored 21 points and finished in the top half of the field, while the women’s squad accrued 19 points as the Beacons participated in Indiana State’s Pacesetter Sports Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind.
How It Happened
Senior Brian Sponaugle (Milton, De. / Cape Henlopen) won the men’s javelin on Friday in a 15-athlete field, scoring 10 points for the Beacons with a throw of 57.23 meters (187-9).
In the women’s 5000, the Beacons took two of the top three spots in a 24-runner field. Redshirt senior Chante Dixon (Benoni, South Africa / Kempton Park [UTSA]) was the runner-up in 17:51.54 and notched eight points, while sophomore Kensington Black (Franklin, Ohio / Franklin Senior) finished third in 17:57.72, a personal record, scoring six points.
The other Friday point-scorer was senior Alex Valerio (Rockford, Ill. / Boylan Catholic), who clocked a time of 15:30.91 in the men’s 5000 to place seventh and garner two points.
In Saturday’s field events, Silas Mathis (Gary, Ind. / Merrillville) had an outdoor PR by clearing 1.91m (6-3.25) in the high jump, placing fifth to notch three points.
On the track on Saturday, the women earned five points based on a fourth-place finish from the 4×4 relay of Worzella/Parsons/Guiley/Tisdale, which placed fourth in 4:19.86.
Sophomore Ferdinand Rosa (Toa Alta, P.R. / American Military Academy) placed sixth of 18 in the 400 in 49.53 to achieve three points for the Beacons.
Freshman Braden Hoff (New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln-Way Central) placed eighth of 43 in his first outdoor 1500, scoring a point.
Senior Alina Worzella (Martinsville, Ind. / Martinsville) just missed scoring in the 800, earning a top-10 finish at ninth of 36 with a time of 2:20.35.
Up Next
The Beacons will participate in the Tennessee Invite in Knoxville, Tenn. starting on Friday, April 10.