Hoosiers surprise with Big Ten opener win

The IU women's track and field team showed two of its Big Ten foes the players mean business in 2005.\nThe Hoosiers won 9-of-15 events Saturday at the Gladstein Fieldhouse and captured the first-place prize against Ohio State and rival Purdue. IU scored 117 team points compared to OSU's 101 and Purdue's 92 points in a surprise win for the team.\n"I'm a little surprised because I didn't think we would win the meet," said coach Randy Heisler. "We didn't have anyone enter in a few events, but in all of the running events our runners really showed up very strong today." \nSophomore Stacey Clausing won three of those nine events. Clausing finished first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.53 seconds, the 400-meter dash with a personal best 55.15, and then later helped the 4x400-meter relay team of senior Charlene Maddox, sophomore Michelle Huber and junior LaDonna Ray to their winning time of 3:48.52. \n"Stacey is just a real talent, a real competitor, and Stacey just hates to lose," Heisler said. "She dropped her times incredibly and is a force to reckon with in this conference."\nIU dominated the distance events again this weekend with several career-best first-place times.\nJunior Kelly Siefker went the distance for IU by finishing almost six seconds faster than her closest opponent in the one-mile run for the Hoosier victory time of 5:02.97. \n"I just really tried to stay focused and relaxed for the entire race, and in the end it worked out in my favor," Siefker said. \nSenior Larra Overton won the 800 with a career-best 2:12.29, and junior Jessica Gall showcased a dominant run in the 3000, winning the event with a personal best 9:50.21.\nIU swept first through third places in the 600-meter dash. Ray crossed the finish line first for the Hoosiers with a time of 1:34.97 followed by teammates Huber and freshman Nikki Peterson. \nIU's state-of-the-art timing equipment was put to the test in the \n60-meter hurdles as sophomores Lorian Price and Courtney Johnson battled neck and neck. Johnson won with a time of 8.58 and Price finished 8.70.\nFor the third time this year, senior Ara Towns won the 60-meter dash finishing with a time of 7.56. \n"I felt OK in the 60. I really didn't know what I was going to do," Towns said. "But I'm trying to get a little faster each week, and so far I am doing that -- so I am pleased with today's race. I had a good start and a better finish." \nIU takes to the track and field next weekend as the team plays host to the two-day Hoosier Relays Friday and Saturday at the Gladstein Fieldhouse. \n-- Contact Staff Writer John Fischer at jbfische@indiana.edu.