Twenty four dual meets after it started, the Harvard women's cross country squad's consecutive victory streak came to an end Saturday.

That's not exactly the way a nationally touted squad would have liked to have opened the season.

But while the loss to Maryland does raise some doubts about the squad's depth--since many of the Crimson's top runners sat the meet out--few people seriously believe Saturday's Harvard squad is the same one that'll show up later this fall at the Heptagonals.

And the same's true for the Harvard men's cross country squad, which barely squeaked out a one point victory over Northeastern Saturday.

Both clubs are still being called league front-runners, and neither is particularly worried about the slow start.

"As the season progresses," newly hired cross country Coach Ed Sheehan says, "we'll bring people along. We just want to make sure we peak at the right time."

The Crimson coaching staff wants to avoid the late season problems that have beset Harvard squads in the past, and will rest some of its top notch runners in the early meets.

In fact on Saturday, virtually all the Crimson's top women runners watched from the sidelines. Only Kate Wiley--Harvard's top runner and also one of the nation's premiere runners--went the distance and finished a not too surprising first.

The big story later this season may not be just Wiley, though, Jenny Stricker, who is slowly working herself back into shape after a year's layoff, was one of Harvard's all-time best runners two years ago, and could be a pivotal force when the Crimson makes its stretch run for the league crown.

On the men's side, the man to watch is Paul Gompers, who coaches say is already in top shape.

Alongside Gompers returns a host of talented runners, including Peter Jellie, Walt Nagel, Paul Kent, Bill Pate, John Duffy, John Perkins and Jim McDonald.