Team looks to continue dominant racing

After an impressive start to the 2002 campaign, the women's cross country team will look to continue their winning ways today at the 64th annual Indiana Intercollegiates at the IU Cross-Country course. \nThe team won their first meet at home Aug. 30 at the Indiana Open. Sophomore Mindy Peterson won the varsity race with a time of 18:12.20 on the five-kilometer course. Peterson was named Big Ten Runner of the Week.\nNot only did Peterson take top individual honors in the race, but the Hoosiers also placed four runners in the top five. Junior Audrey Giesler, freshmen Jessica Gall and Lindsay Hattendorf rounded out the top four for the Hoosiers. The only opponent to break the top five was sophomore Christina Benton of the University of South Florida. \nSince most members of the team have not run a meet since the Indiana Open, the Hoosiers said they are looking to start a winning trend today at the Indiana Intercollegiates. The team has an invitational each of the next two weekends.\nGall said running a meet every weekend for the next three weeks will be a positive experience in growing accustomed to collegiate running.\n"I think the next three weekends will be a great learning experience for me," she said. "In high school I ran a lot more than three meets in three weeks, so it doesn't seem excessive to me to run three weekends in a row. I'm excited about competing at this level and gaining experience that will help me later and make me stronger."\nGall said she wants to use this meet to better her times from the Indiana Open.\n"My goal for this meet is to improve on my time from our last meet and do well for the team," she said.\nOne way the Hoosiers said they look to dominate the competition today and throughout the rest of the season is to run in a pack. Pack running facilitates teamwork and displaces individual opponents from high finishes. \n"We definitely have a strong front pack, and it makes it easier to do well when your own teammates are up there keeping you going," Gall said. "I've really enjoyed the pack running, and it can be intimidating to other teams."\nJunior Audrey Giesler agreed with Gall in regard to running in a pack. \n"(It's) definitely advantageous for any team," she said. "It allows us to build off of one another and work together just like we have been in practice."\nThe Hoosiers boast a young lineup that includes seven freshman runners. Giesler, a veteran harrier, said the team's freshmen could make a strong impact. \n"All of the freshmen have been handling practices and transitioning very well," she said. "I think we expect them to be a large part of the team's success this year because we know that they can handle it. They're competitors, and it shows."\nBecause the team has not had a meet the past two weekends, coach Judy Wilson has had the team working hard in practices. Peterson said it helped to have two weekends off between races.\n"I think that it helps not to have races every weekend," she said. "It gives us a chance to work on what we want to change in our race plans more."\nGiesler said the team is approaching this meet as the first step towards a solid season-long campaign. \n"We're aiming for Big Tens, Regionals and Nationals, so this is the perfect time to forego some racing and build a solid base," Giesler said. "With the training we've put in, I don't think three weekends of racing in a row should be a problem."\nThe open race for the Indiana Intercollegiates is scheduled for a 3:45 p.m. start, with the women's 5k beginning at 4:45 p.m. Both events will take place at the IU Cross Country Course.