Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) took second in the weight throw and Kelley Freeman (Valparaiso, Ind./Chesterton) took third in the pole vault to lead the Valparaiso women’s track and field team on the first day of the Horizon League Indoor Championships at the Watson and Tressel Training Site in Youngstown, Ohio on Saturday.

The Crusaders are fifth after the opening day with 16 points. Milwaukee leads with 48 points, and Loyola is second with 42.

Drozdowski had a season-best mark of 56’4” in the weight throw. Her distance is the third-best in school history.

Freeman cleared 10’11 ¾” to place third in the pole vault. Sarah Peters (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) cleared 10’6” to finish in a tie for seventh.

Jessica Richardson (Columbus, Ind./North) accounted for Valpo’s other points. She placed fifth in the 5000-meter run with a time of 17:53.64.

Kelly Wosick (Mount Prospect, Ill./Saint Viator) and Nicole Zehel (Wixom, Mich./Lutheran Westland) each posted season-best marks on the track. Wosick completed the 400-meter dash in 59.59 seconds, and Zehel had a time of 2:17.95 in the 800-meter run.

Wosick’s time is the third-best in school history, and Zehel’s is the fourth-best.

The Crusaders return to the track on Sunday, Feb. 24 for the final day of the Horizon League Indoor Championships in Youngstown, Ohio. A link for live stats will be available on www.valpoathletics.com.