In the final meet before the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Eastern women’s team placed first, while the men finished second at the EIU Friday Night Special.

Senior Briana Walker and junior Ashley Fouch finished first and second in the women’s 200-meter dash. Walker finished with a time of 25.63 seconds, and Fouch was right behind at 26.38 seconds. Senior Dhiaa Dean captured first place in the 400-meter dash with her time of 58.24 seconds.

Junior Ivy Handley earned a new season best time in the mile run as she crossed the finish line in first with a time of 5:06.81 seconds. Junior Ruth Garippo finished in second place in the women’s 3000-meter run with her time of 10:24.30 seconds.

Senior Amina Jackson and junior Tori Master placed first and second in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. Jackson finished the event at 1:03.16 and Master was not far behind at 1:05.57 seconds.

Jackson explained how she felt going into the race.

“I wasn’t very nervous, I was actually really tired,” she said. “I had to get up that day at six in the morning to observe a kindergarten class up until 1:30 so I was busy. When the time came for my race I was ready mentally, but not physically.”

Master was also part of the 4×400-meter relay team joined by Shirley Jones, Kaitlyn Corzine and Ashley Parola that earned first place with a time of 4:10.04 seconds. In the field events, redshirt freshman Brion Portis had the furthest distance in the triple jump. Senior Janie Howse set a new school record with her toss of 62’01.00” in the weight throw.

The Eastern women finished first overall followed by Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Bradley and Butler rounding out the team scores for the women.

For the men, senior Christian Illunga-Matthiesen finished first in the 60-meter dash with his time of 6.76 seconds. This was a new personal record for him in the event and it is also the top time in the OVC and the ninth best in Eastern history.

Junior Jamal Robinson and senior Calvin Edwards finished first and second in the 200-meter dash. Robinson finished with a time of 22.05 seconds, and Edwards ended with a time of 22.21 seconds. Edwards also competed in the in the 400-meter dash where he finished first with a time of 49.78 seconds.

Freshman Matt Goldby, redshirt senior Brock Ramos and junior Tyler Keen each had second place finishes for the men. Goldby competed in the 600-meter run, Ramos in the mile and Keen in the 5000-meter run.

Indiana State won the men’s division followed by Eastern, Southern Illinois, Bradley and Butler completed the men’s rankings.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]