Kipkemboi earns LSC honor

LAWTON, Okla. - Senior Aminata Kenyawani was ninth individually, helping Eastern New Mexico University's women take fourth place as a team on Saturday in the Lone Star Conference cross country championships, hosted by Cameron University.

Kenyawani posted a six-kilometer time of 22 minutes, 42.83 seconds for the Greyhounds, who finished with 106 points to trail Dallas Baptist (35), West Texas A&M (38) and Texas A&M International (96) in a field of 16 full teams.

ENMU put all eight of its athletes in the top half of the 114-runner field. Sophomore Dorcas Kosgei was the Hounds' second finisher, placing 15th in 23:21.25, and she and Kenyawani were both named all-conference.

WT's Florance Uwajeneza claimed the women's individual title in 21:33.75.

Meantime, the Hounds were 11th out of 14 teams on the men's side with 232 points. West Texas A&M easily claimed team honors with 42 points to 143 for runnerup St. Edward's.

Junior Kelvin Kipkemboi led Hounds, taking ninth place in a time of 26:10.88 over 8K. He was accorded all-conference honors and named the LSC's newcomer of the year.

WT's Innocent Murwanashyaka captured men's individual honors, coming in at 25:16.51.

Next up for ENMU squads is the NCAA Division II South Central Region meet on Nov. 6 in Lubbock.

ENMU spikers make it three in a row - Break up that ENMU volleyball team.

Mired in an eight-match losing streak less than two weeks ago, the Greyhounds notched their third consecutive win on Saturday with a 21-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-14 Lone Star Conference triumph over Midwestern State at Wichita Falls, Texas.

Sophomore setter Qitana Sapiga posted her fourth double-double of the season, including one in each of the Hounds' recent wins, finishing with 18 assists and 12 digs. Texico senior outside hitter Jasmine Gannon collected 13 kills, nine digs and six service aces, while junior middle blocker Adrianna Puni notched a personal-best eight kills to go with 11 total blocks (two solos).

Gannon became only the second ENMU player all-time to have six aces in a four-set match, previously achieved by Caitlin Murphy in 2009 against New Mexico Highlands. Junior outside hitter Jordan O'Connor-Dempsey added a personal-best 10 kills, while freshman outside hitter Mikaela Garvin combined 10 kills and seven block assists.

The Hounds (4-15, 4-7 LSC) had a season-high 14 total blocks - 24 assists and Puni's two solos - in avenging a three-set loss to the Mustangs in an early-season tourney at MSU.

Midwestern (3-27, 1-11) controlled much of the first set, finishing it off with the final five points, while the Hounds opened a 14-9 lead in Game 2 on a kill and three subsequent aces by Gannon. After the Mustangs pulled even 24-24, ENMU wrapped up the set with a kill by O'Connor-Demsey and a Mustangs ballhandling error.

Trailing 10-7 in the third, the Hounds went on a 14-6 run to wrest control. They led the entire fourth set, opening a 9-2 lead and never looking back.

The Hounds are at home this weekend in league play, welcoming Texas A&M International in a 6 p.m. start on Friday before taking on Texas A&M-Kingsville at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

No. 5 DBU blanks Hounds - Dallas Baptist, ranked fifth in NCAA Division II, did all its damage early and the Patriots cruised to a 3-0 Lone Star Conference women's soccer victory over ENMU on Saturday at Greyhound Stadium.

Senior defender Summerlyn Heller had a goal and an assist for the Patriots (13-2, 9-1 LSC), who outshot the Hounds 9-4 on goal.

Sophomore midfielder Ashley Merrill scored on a header off a long cross from Heller in the seventh minute. Junior forward Jenna Patterson tallied midway through the half before Heller got her goal in the closing moments of the stanza as DBU improved to 4-0 all-time against the Hounds.

Sophomore goalkeerper Hailey Brown made four saves to earn the shutout. Senior keeper Whitney Dockweiler collected six stops for ENMU (2-11-1, 0-8-1), which has managed just a tie in its last 11 outings.

The Hounds return to action today with a 4 p.m. (MDT) conference tilt against rival West Texas A&M in Canyon.

ENMU women take on Arizona - The ENMU women's basketball team will play the first of three preseason exhibition games on Thursday night when the Greyhounds visit the University of Arizona in a 5 p.m. clash at Tucson.

Next week, the Hounds have exhibitions on tap at the University of New Mexico on Thursday and at home against Northern New Mexico in a 5 p.m. Saturday tip-off. Meghan De Los Reyes is set to begin her first campaign as the program's head coach.

ENMU's men, under first-year coach Brent Owen, have one exhibition on tap - next Monday at Arizona in a 6 p.m. start.

Both ENMU squads open the regular season the following weekend in the LSC/RMAC Conference Challenge. In the women's event, scheduled for Western New Mexico University in Silver City, the Hounds take on Fort Lewis at 5 p.m. on Nov. 12 and New Mexico Highlands at 4 p.m. the following day.

The men's get-together is slated for The Pit in Albuquerque, with the Hounds playing 1 p.m. contests against Fort Lewis College on Nov. 13 and Highlands the following day.