CARMEL -- Cal State LA's women's cross country team battled through the elements and some injury troubles Saturday at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay.

The Golden Eagles lost No. 1 runner Amelia Mercado to injury early in the race and wound up 11th in the championships with a team score of 356. Losing Mercado, who was Cal State LA's No. 1 runner in every race this season, was a big blow to the team.

Mercado had been dealing with an injury prior to the championships and tried valiantly to run through it on Saturday.

Paloma Sanchez was Cal State LA's top finisher on Saturday, placing 79th with a time of 26:38.2 over a 6,000-meter course at the Palo Corona Cross Country Trail in Carmel. 

Vanessa Monrreal was next, finishing 84th in 28:31.9, Crystal Duenas was 87th in 30:12.1, Sanaia Woods was 89th in 31:43.6 and Justice Goon was 91st in 34:07.0.

Stanislaus State won the conference title with 39 points, while Chico State was second with 52 points. Cal State East Bay was third with 83 points, Cal Poly Pomona was fourth with 130 points and Cal State San Marcos was fifth with 137 points. Cal Poly Humboldt (163), Cal State San Bernardino (187), Cal State Monterey Bay (197), Sonoma State (208), San Francisco State (297) and Cal State LA (356) rounded out the field.