Final Results

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Missouri State got a top-25 finish from junior Jessica Allen and put together a solid team performance to finish eighth here Saturday in the women's five-kilometer race at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

Allen's time of 18:30.6 was good enough for 22nd place in the field of 80 runners at Walters Ridge Golf Course. Senior Savannah Aleckson also finished in the upper division with a time of 19:03.5 to finish 40th.

"Finishing eighth as a team is not where we wanted to be," said Bears' head coach Jordan Fife. "But, we won't let the conference place diminish the progress we are continuing to make in our training on a weekly basis."

Jade Raynor (19:32.7) was 53rd, Jordyn Capra (19:38.1) was 56th and Renae Buschling (19:51.0) was 59th among the MSU scorers, while Danielle Bohannon (20:07.5), Mercedes Robinson (20:15.9) and Erica Wollmering (21:39.5) also competed.

"Top to bottom, we didn't have our best day," Fife explained. "At a conference championship, we have to be better than that at each position. We absolutely have to be tougher in a race setting."

Northern Iowa (52 points) edged Bradley (64) for the team title with Wichita State (82), Indiana State (86) and Illinois State (99) rounding out the top five. Loyola (167) and Southern Illinois (198) also finished ahead of the Bears (223) with Drake (238) and Evansville (251) bringing up the rear. UNI's Rebekah Topham won the individual title with a time of 17:24.8.

The Bears will have an opportunity to finish the season on a high note with the NCAA Regional in Iowa City, Iowa on Nov. 11.