But despite all the preparations, it was a lack of aggressiveness at the start of the race that hampered the women's team. Historically, the women have been able to overcome slow starts. But not this time.

"The women won a lot of races by beating people at the end," Sheehan said. "The [opposition] has run aggressively against us and not held on."

"We had to be up front at the first mile," Toner said. "The race was made there."

Briggs and Stratton '87

Once the women fell behind they could not stage a comeback on the difficult course.

"The women ran more aggressively but you can't give one or two seconds away at the mile," Sheehan said.

"You can't expect to mow everyone down at the end," Toner said.

The women are looking forward to the ECAC's to show that their showing last Friday was but a fluke.

"We're the underdogs, but there's the outside shot at making Nationals," Toner said. "The team's ready."

"They should vindicate themselves this weekend," Sheehan said. "They've had a pretty good attitude."

And the right attitude can get you through the woods in a hurry.