Invitational gears team for conference meet

With three weeks until the Big Ten Indoor Track Championships, coach Marshall Goss was looking for some sign of life from a number of his athletes. \nHis wish came true this weekend at the Indiana Invitational. \nGoss said he believed the competition proved his athletes would be able to compete in the conference.\n"I felt that we competed very well," Goss said. "We still have a ways to go, but in looking at the areas across the board, you can pick out highlights. That kind of confidence that your athletes can really come through gives me the feeling that we're on the right track."\nHaving promised he would break IU's 60-meter hurdles record, it did not take long for sophomore Matt Harris to bring the record crashing to the ground. In his first race, Harris stumbled early, but was still fast enough to qualify for the next heat, in which he would shatter the record.\n"This meet I came in ranked 25th, so I just tried to do everything I could to make it to the finals," Harris said. "I'm awfully proud of the record, but I'm obviously not satisfied. I want the record to be something that will stand for a long time, and the only way I can do that is to continue to improve."\nHarris continued his four-meet streak of lowering his personal best en route to a third-place finish in the finals. But Harris' performance was not the only positive performance coming on the first day of competition.\nEight Hoosiers set personal bests Friday, including sophomore thrower Mike Minton, who won the shot put and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track Championships.\n"It's always good to PR because it shows that you're improving," Minton said. "But I just want to be more consistent, so I can compete in the conference."\nThe Hoosier pole vaulters put on a clinic for the competition. Senior Kris Mack and juniors Dino Efthimiou and Ian Curry swept the event's top three spots.\nJunior Ryan Huber showed heart while making his come-from-behind victory in the 600-meters. As Huber blazed past the opposition from the back of the pack, an opponent shoved Huber to the outside, but he remained calm and was still able to edge out a victory by 0.02 seconds.