LANDOVER, Md. - The LIU Brooklyn women's track and field team advanced nine student-athletes to the finals of the 2014 Northeast Conference Indoor Championship at the Prince George Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Md. The Blackbirds sit in fifth place after contesting the finals of several field events on day one.

Freshman Maria Luzon scored the first five points of the meet for the Blackbirds, getting on the board in both the pole vault and long jump. Luzon cleared the bar at 2.95m to land in sixth place in the pole vault, before placing seventh in the long jump with a leap of 5.21m.  

Bryanna Williams was the other Blackbird to post points for LIU Brookly, finishing fifth in the long jump with her leap of 5.23m.

The Blackbirds will be present in a number of track event finals tomorrow after putting up strong performances in the preliminary heats. In the 60-meter dash, Williams, along with Ja'Mesha Richard and Anise Cuffee finished in the top-eight to qualify for finals. Williams had the top time of the day at 7.69, while Richard was second in 7.70 and Cuffee eighth at 7.82.

Richard will also return for the 60-meter hurdles tomorrow, along with Camille Thomas. Richard's ECAC-qualifying time of 8.78 put her in the second spot, while Thomas was fourth in 8.99.

Richard's day is not over then, however, as she also qualified for the finals of the 200-meter dash, along with Josephine Watson and Williams. Watson finished third after prelimiaries with her time of 25.48, Williams was fourth at 25.61 and Richard was seventh at 25.72.

The Blackbirds will also have three athletes in the finals of the 400 and 500-meter dash. Katrina Anderson had the top performance of the day for LIU in the 400, finishing third at 59.24, while Watson and Cuffee were right behind in fourth (57.97) and fifth (1:00.16), respectively. In the 500, Alea Stevens was fourth (1:19.63), Shakia Williams was sixth (1:19.25) and Marielena Rivera was eighth in 1:19.89. 

Anderson, who currently holds the league's top-time in the 800-meter run, will go for the title tomorrow. The junior finished second in the preliminary heats of the event today with a time of 2:19.16.

In addition to the finals of theindividual track events tomorrow, the Blackbirds will also compete in the final field events, along with the relays. The team champion will be crowned at the conclusion of the meet.