Victory in final event needed for narrow win in season opener

The IU women's track and field team opened the indoor season at home over the weekend. The Hoosiers treated the home fans to an exciting finish and victory by winning the final event: the 4x400-meter relay. The women's team used both experience and youth in an 81-80 victory over the visiting Michigan Wolverines.\nThe Hoosier sprinters put together a good meet and got help in several other events to step up and fill the gaps made by athletes who were unable to compete. \n"It's the first meet of the year, and I felt we, for the most part, performed better than last year at the same meet," head coach Randy Heisler said. "At the same time, we had so many holes to fill. Junior Rose Richmond, All-American and Big Ten champion, was warming up and then doesn't jump -- not the long jump or triple jump -- and doesn't run and you just give up those points."\nJuniors Rachelle Boone and Danielle Carruthers finished one-two in the 60-meter dash, with Boone running an NCAA provisional time. Boone and Freshman Ara Towns went one-two in the 200-meter dash. \nFreshman Charlene Maddox won the 400-meter dash, Carruthers ran an NCAA provisional time in the 60-meter hurdles on her way to victory and the sprinters stepped up at the end of the meet to pull out a victory in the 4x400 with a strong run by senior Tia Trent.\n"I am very satisfied with today," Boone said. "I wasn't even really thinking about getting (a provisional), I was just hoping to run a decent 60 and 200, so I am satisfied." \nMany freshmen stepped up in their first meet for the Hoosiers and gained some good experience. Towns finished second in the 200-meter dash, Maddox won the 400-meter dash and Mindy Peterson was victorious in the mile with a time of 5:01.\n"It was good to get out here and run against some good competition," Peterson said. "Michigan is a pretty good team."\nThose were not the only freshmen to give good performances. Christina Archibald won the high jump, Emily Tharpe placed first in the pole vault and Carolin Schopf finished second in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.\n"I was really surprised by the freshmen," Carruthers said. "I am proud of the freshmen because they are really stepping up"