BILLINGS, Mont. - Brielle Davis led the charge for the women's cross country team at the 26th annual Yellowjacket Invitational taking place at Amend Park. Unattached runner Mary Owen won the women's 6,000m race in 23:53.36.
 
Davis was fourth overall, crossing the finish line 24:46.93. MSU Billings placed runners in the 2-6-11-20-37 scoring positions for a second place team result.
 
South Dakota School of Mines won the women's title, placing runners in the 1-3-6-7-8 scoring slots. Adeline Straatmeyer was the team's leader, clocking-in at 23:56.32.

Owen led the race from the first loop, going out with a strong start, running by herself in front through most of the course.
 
The lead pack was held onto by Davis, running with two unattached runners, and teammate Rio Frame with Taylor Condon just behind.
 

The Hardrockers moved up into the pack in the middle of the course as positioning began to change. Strattmeyer made her move in the last fourth of the distance, with Davis keeping pace. In the last loop, the top-8 runners began to spread out.
 
Down the stretch, Owen fended off a last minute kick from Straatmeyer for the overall win. Behind her, Davis and Frame were broken up by SDSMT's Libby Fiesen.
 
After Condon's finish, three more 'Rockers crossed the line as the team finished with a total of 25 points.
 
Frame, finishing second for the Yellowjackets in 26:06.59, is making her way back from an injury. The junior has not run a complete race for MSUB since the opening meets in Alaska Sept. 3 and 5.
 
Coming in at third on the team was senior, and today's St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Day, Condon who crossed the tape in 25:13.44. Senior Jinise Trueblood placed fourth on the team in 25:50.41, while sophomore Bailey Bomar was fifth, completing the course in 27:07.18.
 
Sarah Beatty (28:52.93) and Devin McDonald (29:05.09) were the sixth and seventh runners for the Yellowjackets.
 
South Dakota School of Mines placed all seven scoring runners in the top-15 for 25 team points. MSUB checked in with 37 points while Black Hills State (67), and MSU-Northern (110) also finished with team scores. Central Wyoming College and Rocky Mountain College both had less than five runners.
 
THE BUZZ: Davis bested last year's Yellowjacket Invitational time, dropping from 25:03.69 to 24:46.93...last year Davis finished 20^th overall and seventh for the 'Jackets...In 2014 MSUB won its home meet over Rocky Mountain College and the University of Great Falls...this year's race featured one more runner than the 2014 Yellowjacket Invitational, 37-36.
 
UP NEXT: Next week MSU Billings and Rocky Mountain College will host a dual-meet at Riverfront Park in Billings, Mont. The two teams will compete on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 4:00 p.m.