CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Madison Borden scored Tech's first point Friday on the opening day of the Ohio Valley Conference Track & Field Outdoor Championships, placing in the discus. Distance runner Beth Miller added two more in the final run of the night, the 10,000-meter event.

Borden (in photo right), a senior from Louisville, Tenn., had a throw of 128 feet, eight inches for her eighth place finish, putting the Golden Eagles on the scoreboard with one point in the team standings. Teammate Lacy Yslas narrowly missed finishing in the scoring, placing 10th with a throw of 126 feet, five inches.

Late in the day, Miller (photo below) earned two points with a seventh place effort in the final 10,000-meter race in her Golden Eagle career. The senior from Watertown, Wis., covered the distance in 39.50.46 for a career-best effort. She was one of four Tech runners in the grueling race. Amelia McCoy, junior from Crossville, Tenn., also charted a career-best time, finishing in 42.51.88. Junior Meghan O'Donoghue posted a time of 43:03.67, while senior Kathryn Forbes crossed the line in 43:31.94.

Senior Katie Lowery came within a half-inch of her own school record in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 10 feet, six inches while placing 11th overall.

In the high jump, Erin Keyes was 16th with a best effort of four feet, 11.75 inches.

Two Tech runners ran nearly neck-and-neck in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Rebecca Cline finished in 14th place with a time of 12:01.49. Peri Winborne was 15th in 12:14.06.

Freshman Landry Loving paced a group of three Tech runners in the 800-meter prelims, placing 22nd with a time of 2:28.14. One spot back in 23rd place, Kendale Caldwell put up a 2:32.81, less than a half-second off her career-best. Dalis Connel placed 25th in 2:33.08.

Tech is in ninth place in the team standings with three points. Eastern Illinois, the meet host, leads the pack after seven events with 73.5 points. Southeast Missouri is second with 54 points, followed by Murray State (43), Tennessee State (33). Jacksonville State (21), Eastern Kentucky (18), SIU Edwardsville (16), Belmont (11). Austin Peay (0.5 points) is in 10th place.

Field events are slated to get underway at 11 a.m. Saturday, with running events beginning at 1 p.m.