Question of the day: How far can you afford to fall behind and still have enough time to catch up? Answer: The women's track team can tell you, because it learned the hard way, losing 53-52 Saturday to Bates. Who ever said learning was fun?

Coming off a triumphant first victory over UNH, the tracksters trucked up to northern Maine looking for a sure win. The only trouble was, they started a little too late. Never traditionally strong in the sprints and field events, Harvard soon found itself trailing 21-1. With half the events over, Bates sat tight with a 30-point lead. The Crimson would literally have to sweep all the remaining events to win.

The tracksters almost did. Lucy Ashley grabbed a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 440, edging out her Bates opponent with a time of 61.2. Grace deFries and Becky Rogers brought home third and fourth places.

Eva Anderson and Martha Clabby raced to a one-two photo finish in the half-mile; Kristen Linsley took the mile in a near-personal record time of 4:55, with Mary Herlihy close behind; and the trio of Ellen Gallagher, Wiley McCarthy and Anita Diaz had a cross-country reunion at the finish line as they swept the 3000.

Add two Harvard relay victories, and the tally stood 53-52. Not quite enough.