Disappointment, delight for cross county team

The men's and women's cross country teams traveled to Notre Dame Friday with an optimistic outlook. They left with mixed emotions.\nWhile the men placed fifth, beating two top-25 teams, the women fell short of their goals, finishing 12th in a field of 31 teams.\nThe men said they were pleased with their finish, especially since they came in only 10 points behind No. 8 North Carolina State.\nSenior Aaron Gillen, who finished 11th in the 8K at 24:28, led the team in its most competitive meet so far this season. The four other Hoosiers to score in the meet were all sophomores. Chris Powers, Bart Phariss, Jeff Zeha, and Chad Andrews all finished within 30 seconds of Gillen.\n"We trained through the meet," Andrews said. "We weren't expecting a lot, but it was definitely a confidence-booster. We knew we were a top-20 team in the nation." \nAlthough happy with the results, Powers said he viewed the meet as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.\n"We expected this to happen," Powers said. "We just want to run well when it matters."\nThe team ran differently in this race, taking the lead and control from the beginning, Powers said.\nWith strong senior leadership and hard work, Powers said, the team is physically and emotionally "right on track" to the NCAA Championship in Ames, Iowa.\nAlthough the women's team shares the dream of going to nationals, this weekend they did not live up to their expectations.\n"If we finish seventh to ninth, we're doing ok," said women's coach Judy Bogenschutz before Friday's meet. She said placing in this range would give the team its best chance at earning a bid to the national meet.\nSophomores Amanda Bell and Allyson Hammond posted the best times they have run so far this season. With a 17:44, Bell finished 22nd overall, while Hammond placed 35th with a time of 18:05. Juniors Stephanie Magley and Erin Womble and sophomore Lauren Weddell rounded out the top 5 within a minute of Bell.\nAlthough the times were good, the runners' places were what cost them their goals for the meet and landed them in 12th place.\n"Getting out faster is a big problem with all of us," senior Courtney Bell said. "Amanda and Allyson do ok with that, but the rest of us have a little problem. You need to be aggressive and push some people around to get out there. I guess we're too nice."\nDespite its disappointment, the women's team is looking ahead to the pre-NCAAs in Ames, Iowa.\n"Next week, we want to get up there and get ranked," Courtney Bell said. "We want to go to nationals. That's pretty much what it comes down to"