JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Pittsburg State University women's cross country team raced to the team title at the 36th Annual Missouri Southern State University Stampede Saturday (Sept. 20), while the Gorillas men secured a second-place team finish.

The Pitt State women posted a low score of 64 points to defeat second place finisher MSSU by 15 points. Paige Mullen paced the women in the five-kilometer race with a second-place time of 17 minutes, 10.64 seconds. Hannah Gibson finished third (17:15.06) while Lorna Rae Pierce came home in ninth place (17:53.70). Phoebe Fletcher (24th, 18:37.14) and Kacie Singer (26th, 18:37.93) completed Pitt State's scored positions. Mildred Rono of Hutchinson Community College claimed top individual honors in 16:49.23.

The Pitt State men placed three individuals in the top 10 to post a score of 60 points and place behind only Hutchinson CC (49 points). The Gorillas were 39 points better than third place finisher MSSU. Tyler Atkins (5th, 23:57.07), Dylan Sprecker (6th, 24:01.40) and Nathan Hinrichs (10th, 24:05.95) all secured top 10 individual finishes. Travis Sickles (19th, 24:35.12) and Nick Kilonzo (28th, 25:12.03) completed the Gorillas scored positions.