HOBBS, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico women's cross country earned a fourth place finish at the New Mexico Junior College Dr. Steve McCleery Invitational on Friday morning at Harry McAdams Park.

"Our women just didn't feel their best today. Some days the legs respond and other days they don't. What matters is how they respond moving forward and I know they will come back stronger," said assistant coach Keyanah Browning. "Today wasn't our day and the results showed that. Our student-athletes didn't feel their best physically, but that is part of the sport. We will regroup, recover, and be ready to respond next time."

ENMU beat out fellow conference foe UT Permian Basin and came just one point shy of Angelo State in the team results.

The 5k race featured two loops around the public park. The course had mostly grassy and flat terrain, but some hills provided the course a change in elevation in a couple areas.

New Mexico Junior College won the race with four finishers in the top ten in the field.

Freshman Chama El Hadiri led the Hounds with a seventh-place finish. Her 19:29.7 time was the fastest by a runner from a NCAA DII program and the third quickest by a freshman in the field.

The next three finishers were grouped together for a majority of the competition. Those student-athletes included Madison Manuelito (21:31.2), Elizabeth Lujan-Towles (21:38.7), and Joella Mathilda (21:52.0). Also finishing for the Hounds were Maya Garcia Schafer (22:21.6), Alina Caballero (23:07.0), and Valentina Rocabado Salazar (26:45.4).

Eastern New Mexico women's cross country will now prepare for the DBU Old Glory Gallop on October 11. The next race will feature close to 40 teams from around the region and will give ENMU a preview of the course that will host the conference cross country championships.