EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Missouri State cross country team placed second with 74 points at the Evansville Angel Mounds Invitational on Friday.

The Bears secured their second-place finish with an average time of 22:19.5 out of a field of 19 teams.

Mia McLain once again led the Bears with a 21:54.4 finish in the 6k race. McLain finished ninth and added eight points to the team total. This was McLain's third race in a row leading the Bears across the finish line.

It did not take long for the rest of the Bears to finish the race. Margo Nea followed closely behind McLain with a time of 22:15.7 (13^th) and a few seconds later Mary Margaret Harris crossed the finish line with a time of 22:17.1 (14^th). Emily Nuttall and Madilyn Moore round out the last of the scorers for the Bears with times of 22:33.4 (22^nd) and 22:36.5 (23^rd). 

"The team handled the first 6k of the season like veterans even though for a lot of them it was the first one of their careers," head coach Jordan Fife said. "Margo had a big day at our No. 2 spot, which was great to see."

Thirteen Bears either ran their first collegiate 6k or set a new personal record. Nea, Harris, Nuttall, Moore, Ella Cronhardt, Natalie Clayton, Tabitha Fox, Grace Spoonhour, Grace Buschling, Britta Foust, Mihane Nambara, Lena Singleton and Ella Conklin were the Bears that added a new line to their stats.

"Overall, it was a really solid day for us. Our depth stood out in a way we haven't really seen before," Fife said. "The group worked well together and we're right where we want to be heading to conference in two weeks."

The Bears will be back in action on Oct. 27 when they travel to Nashville for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship hosted by Belmont. 

#BearsUnite  
 

Individual Results
9. Mia McLain – 21:54.4
13. Margo Nea – 22:15.7
14. Mary Margaret Harris – 22:17.1
22. Emily Nuttall – 22:33.4
23. Madilyn Moore – 22:36.5
24. Ella Cronhardt – 22:37.5
27. Natalie Clayton – 22:41.6
31. Tabitha Fox – 22:55.5
32. Grace Spoonhour – 22:55.6
48. Grace Buschling – 23:18.3
54. Britta Foust – 23:32.4
57. Mihane Nambara – 23:39.8
60. Lena Singleton – 23:45.1
62. Adrien Martens – 23:47.5
63. Ella Conklin – 23:47.8
 
Team Results
1. Lipscomb – 22
2. Missouri State – 74
3. Southern Indiana – 90
4. Southeast Missouri – 103
5. Bellarmine – 144
6. Tennessee Tech – 180
7. Morehead State – 181
8. Tennessee-Martin – 257
9. Evansville – 258
10. Western Kentucky – 274
11. Marian (Ind.) – 312
12. Austin Peay – 315
13. Georgetown (Ky.) – 405
14. Midway – 418
15. Vincennes – 451
Brescia – DNF
Boyce – DNF
St. Mary of the Woods – DNF
Oakland City – DNF