HUMBLE, TEXAS – The Northwestern State women's track team needed its top producers to come through Friday during the first day of the Southland Conference Indoor Championships.

The Lady Demons did just that as Jasmyn Steels and Annemarie Broussard took gold in the long jump and pole vault, respectively.

If NSU is to compete for its first-ever team title after falling six points short in the SLC Indoor Championships this March, it would need some secondary scorers to hit their marks as well.

Even without podium contender Lauren-Ashley Clarke in the long jump, NSU provided additional scorers as the Lady Demons finish the opening day in second place with 34 points.

"I'm really proud of how everybody came out and competed today," said NSU coach Mike Heimerman. "We had a pretty good day overall, and we'll look to qualify a lot of sprinters Saturday for the finals Sunday. We'll also pick up as many points as we can in the triple jumps, women's shot put, men's javelin and men's pole vault.

"McNeese (48 points) had an exceptional day today, but we'll go out and battle each day."

Steels captured her first Southland Conference Outdoor gold medal with a long jump title at 21-4.25. Steels fouled on her first two attempts, reached the finals with a 19-6 before jumping at least 20-10 in all three of her final jumps.

But the other long jump storyline was NSU's ability to score six other points (six).

Jayla Fields leapt a personal best 19-6 to finish fourth after entering the event ranked 10^th. Monique Walker scored from the second flight with her personal best of 18-10.5, placing eighth.

"Jasmyn had monster jumps on her two early fouls, and it's actually impressive in that the jumps she did make, she almost gave up in the air because she thought she did foul on some of those," Heimerman said. "Jayla won silver indoors, so it's no surprise that she came out and performed well today.

"Monique Walker had a great day, and every point matters when it comes to trying to win a team championship."

After winning the pole vault gold indoor, Broussard doubled up in the outdoor with a clearance on 12-10.75 on her first attempt.

In the first real battle between NSU and another team title contender, Broussard outdueled Stephen F. Austin's Riley Floerke, who needed a second attempt at 12-10.75 to clear.

Parish Kitto swept in to score three points with a three-way tie for fifth place. Kitto cleared 12-00.75, which tied her NSU best.

"Annemarie is a bulldog, and it was really fun to watch her in the vault today," Heimerman said. "She could have cleared 14 feet today, but she was catching the bar either on the way up or the way down.

"Parish as well as our other two vaulters (Karlyn Trahan and Madison Brown) had good showings as well, and the future is bright there with everybody returning next year."

Kristin McDuffie started the Lady Demons' trend of outperforming their slot with a sixth-place finish in the hammer throw.

Her 171-8 bested her previous record by five feet and earned three points, finishing two places ahead of her ranking.

"There were some girls in the previous flight who threw farther than Kristin's personal record coming into today, so it was going to take a PR kind of day to score," Heimerman said. "And she did that by besting her record by feet, so we're happy with that."

Javeliner Akira Phillip garnered two points with her seventh-place distance of 129-1. Her best throw came in her final attempt, which boosted her one spot in the standings.

The men also dented the scoreboard on a lighter competition day and from a rather unexpected source.

With top jumper Markeit Steverson not competing, freshman Nikaoli Williams picked up the scoring mantle with a sixth-place finish in the long jump.

He launched his personal best 23-0.75 in his second attempt to reach the finals, scoring three points despite entering the competition ranked 21^st.

"Nikaoli continued our strong day in the long jump," Heimerman said. "He came out and battled and competed with a personal best."

The men are in eighth place with three points.