NEVADA, Mo. - Although William Woods was without top returner Ellie Dimond for the opening meet of the season, the Owls brought home the individual title and a second place finish from the Cottey College Invitational on Friday. Mekayla Gibson blistered her personal best and put nearly a minute between herself and the second place finisher and the team outpaced meet winner Missouri Baptist but finished with 44 points to 40 for the Spartans.

Running conditions on the course at Frank E. Peters Golf Course were decent, with rough footing in spots with tree roots and gravel mixed with a few golf cart path crossings. The 83-degree evening yielded a number of fast times, with Gibson and Mary Grover both establishing new PRs on the night. The Owls averaged 19:54.77 on the 5K course, almost three seconds better than Missouri Baptist's 19:57.46.

The Owls are close to home for their next two meets, with Columbia College's Larry Young Invitational set for a 5:45 p.m. start on Friday, Sept. 15.

Meet Results
1 (1) Mekayla Gibson - 18:32.77 (New PR, prev. 18:59.0)
5 (4) Mary Grover - 19:22.86 (New PR, prev. 19:30.1)
8 (7) Crystal Ruden - 19:55.60
14 (12) Hailey Gerard - 20:21.77
22 (20) Tara Lowe - 21:20.83
36 (33*) Kyah Weirich - 22:49.26
40 (36*) Emma Clifford - 23:26.44

Team Scores
1 - Missouri Baptist | 40 pts - 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, (16), (24)
Total Time:  1:39:47.29/19:57.46

2  - William Woods | 44 pts - 1, 4, 7, 12, 20, (33), (36)
Total Time:  1:39:33.83/19:54.77 (Split 1-5 2:48.06) (Split 1-7 4:53.67)

3 - Haskell Indian Nations University | 70 pts - 3, 6, 15, 18, 28, (29), (37)
Total Time:  1:43:19.25/20:39.85

4 Cottey College | 81 pts - 9, 10, 17, 22, 23, (25), (27)
Total Time:  1:45:06.64/21:01.33

5 Columbia College | 109pts - 13, 19, 21, 26, 30, (35), (40)
Total Time:  1:48:26.78/21:41.36

6 Ozark Christian College | 174 pts - 31, 32, 34, 38, (39), (41)
Total Time:  1:59:24.84/23:52.97