LINCOLN, Neb. – Thirteen members of the Missouri State track and field team battled in five individual events on the first day of the 42^nd Annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Friday (Feb. 3).
 
Running first for MSU in the 60-meter dash was Taryn Smiley. Finishing fifth in her heat, Smiley turned in a personal best time of 7.76 seconds, but the time was not good enough to send the sophomore to Saturday's final.
 
Sprinting sensation Marissa Kurtimah ousted 40 student-athletes to advance to Saturday's final in the 60-meter dash. Kurtimah finished first in her heat with a time of 7.53 seconds, while Asha Cave finished fifth in the same heat with a time of 7.64 seconds.
 
After shedding time off last week's 60-meter hurdles performance, freshman Chicago Bains was unable to advance to Saturday's event final, after crossing the line sixth in her heat, with a time of 9.22 seconds. She also competed in the 400-meter dash for MSU, turning in a time of 1:02.80.
 
Shani Adams, Erin Roebuck and Kadisha Francois each finished fourth in their respective heats of the 400-meter dash. Both Adams and Roebuck recorded their second-fastest times in the event this season, with times of 57.19 seconds and 58.17 seconds, respectively, while Francois clocked in her fastest time in the event this season, with a time of 58.74 seconds.
 
In the field, thrower Brittany McPike hurled a personal best 16.40 meters in the weight throw, beating her old mark by nearly one-half of a meter. Teammate Melanie Raterman threw a similar distance to last week's outing, with a mark of 15.48 meters in the event. McPike will be the lone Bear to represent Missouri State in the shot put on Saturday.
 
Finishing first for the Bears in the long jump was junior Daijha Heron, who leapt to her second furthest mark of the season (5.47 meters). Sidne' Williamson (5.10 meters), Olivia Ott (5.06 meters) and Kelli Bowen (4.91 meters) also competed for MSU in the event.
 
The Bears will continue competition at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 4), beginning with the 200-meter dash at 11:30 a.m..