Courtesy: MSU Photo Services Pasca Cheruiyot

The Missouri State track and field team completed their second day of completion at the Iowa State Classic today.  Leading the way for the Bears was junior Pasca Cheruiyot who attained her second NCAA Provisional mark of the indoor season.

Cheruiyot completed the seeded 5,000-meter run in the time of 16:26.82.  Her time not only is an NCAA Provisional accomplishment, it puts Cheruiyot second on the Missouri State performers list for the event.  She now has the fastest time in the Valley in the 5,000-meter run by more than a minute for this season.

Leander Ernest continued her assault on the record books.  She set the school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:07.14, narrowly edging ahead of her record-setting performance at Fayetteville last month.  Her time placed her third in the event today.  Senior Asher Kyger placed 28th in the event with a time of 2:14.88.

In the 4x400-meter relay, Ernest, Kindra Perkins, Rashida Allen and Yaneika Malcolm finished fourth.  Their time of 3:44.16 is the second-fastest relay in the Valley this season and their fastest of the season.

Terry Phillips finished 12th in the seeded 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:49.07.  The time is a new personal best for Phillips and moves her into fourth all-time on the Missouri State performers list.

Senior Alexandria Oembler advanced to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.746 seconds.  In the finals, she improved her time to 8.71 seconds.  Her time placed her 13th in the finals.  Teammate Rashida Allen ran a 9.04 second 60-meter hurdle race in the preliminaries, finishing 29th.

In the 60-meter dash, two Bears set personal bests in the preliminaries.  Shantel Llewellyn finished in 7.80 seconds and Oembler at 7.87 seconds, placing 20th and 29th, respectively.  Neither Llewellyn or Oembler advanced to the finals.

Renna Berry set a personal best in the non-seeded 400-meter run with a time of 59.21 seconds, good for 16th place.  In the seeded 400-meter run, Yaneika Malcolm placed 22nd and Kindra Perkins placed 35th.

Jamie Vest placed 16th in the non-seeded mile run with a time of 5:15.58.  Teammate Stephanie Harres finished in 5:30.07.  In the seeded mile run, Asher Kyger placed 22nd with a time of 4:58.03, while Staci Nelson timed in at 5:09.78.

In the field events, Sofie Blount set a personal best in the shot put.  Her distance of 41-02.25 was only good for 33rd place.  Teammate Jeláni Kelly threw 38-01.50 feet in the shot put.

Shawnté Middlebrook placed 14th in the triple jump.  She reached a distance of 37-03.25 feet in the event.

On day one of the Classic Friday, nine Bears set personal bests including all five entrants in the non-seeded 3,000-meter run.

Senior Jamie Vest led the Bears in the non-seeded 3,000-meter run finishing ninth with a personal-best time of 10:08.03.  One place behind her was Staci Nelson with a time of 10:08.22.  Stephanie Harres (10:38.63), Mari-Jean Vance (10:54.83), and Lacie Sparlin (11:00.25) also set personal bests in the event.

Junior Mareneika Goffe won the non-seeded high jump with a height of 1.71 meters (5-07.25 feet).  The mark was a personal best for Goffe.  She currently ranks first in the Valley in the event on the season.  Her twin sister Zaleika Goffe placed 15th with a height of 1.61 meters (5-03.25 feet).

Three other Bears set personal bests in the 200-meter dash.  Rashida Allen led the squad with a personal-best time of 24.67 seconds, good for 10th place.  Leander Ernest placed 18th with a time of 24.89 seconds.  Alexandria Oembler (25.13 seconds) and Shantel Llewellyn (25.42 seconds) were the other Bears to set personal bests on the day.

In the long jump, Shawnté Middlebrook hit a distance of 18-01.50 feet and a 20th-place finish.  Teammate Renna Berry finished 43rd with a distance of 15-07.50 feet.

In other action on day one, freshman Andrea Marshall timed 18:36.92 in the non-seeded 5,000-meter run, placing 26th.  While Sofie Blount mustered a distance of 41-01.00 feet in the weight throw.  Her distance placed her 37th.

The Bears will take a week off to prepare for the State Farm MVC Indoor Championship, which will be held February 27-28 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.