Valparaiso earned three top-three finishes Friday on day two of the Mid-Continent Conference Swimming and Diving Championships held in Rochester, Mich.

The Crusaders remain in fifth place though heading into the final day of competition, having scored 251 points. Oakland is in the lead with 460 points, followed by Western Illinois with 410 points. Centenary is third with 364 points and IUPUI is fourth 22 points behind the Gents.

Travers Smith (Huntley, Ill./Huntley H.S.) finished in second place in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall in 1:44.57, trailing just a competitor from Oakland in the event. Bob Pedersen (Urbana, Ill./Urbana H.S.) was third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:00.11, while David Peterson (Schererville, Ind./Highland H.S.) placed third in the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 59.59 seconds.

Valpo opened Friday with a fifth place finish in the 200 free relay as Josh Stamper (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley H.S.), Jeff Lange (Woodbridge, Conn./Amity Regional H.S.), Mike Stachniak (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg H.S.), and David Kesler (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves H.S.) touched the wall in 1:31.67.

Smith followed his second place free finish with a fifth place effort in the 100 backstroke turning in a time of 54.10 seconds.

The 400 individual medley and the 50 free were the only two events that Valpo failed to qualify a swimmer to the A finals in. Greg Stock (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood H.S.) led Valpo in the 400 IM with an 11th place finish in 4:33.45, while Kesler was tops for the Brown and Gold in the 50 free with a time of 22.54 seconds, finishing tenth.

The Crusaders ended Friday with a third place finish in the 400 medley relay as Smith, Peterson, Pederson, and Kesler turned in an effort of 3:35.23.

Valpo will conclude the meet on Saturday with preliminary heats beginning at 9 a.m. CST and finals starting at 5 p.m. CST.