Competing in front of a home crowd at Leverone Field House, the Big Green women's and men's track teams placed second to Brown University in a four-way meet last weekend.
The University of Maine and Brandeis University rounded out the field of four, but the real race for first was between the two Ivy League schools.
Brown head coach Bob Raffenberg said he believed the difference between the two women's teams was in their relative strengths.
"Our team is strong in the hurdles and sprints," Raffenberg said, "while Dartmouth excels in the distance events and the throws."
The Big Green did, in fact, perform well in these events.
Consistent standouts Kristin Cobb '95 and Maribel Sanchez '96 turned in outstanding performances in the 73-57 loss. Cobb and Sanchez came in first and second, respectively, in the mile run.
Cobb's time of 4:49 was a personal best. Sanchez came in a second later at 4:50. Both times provisionally qualify them for the NCAA Championships.
"My goal was to run a qualifying time," Cobb said. "Considering they [Brown] are the defending Heptagonal Champions, I think we did pretty well. I feel confident going into this year's Heps."
Sanchez, who came off a first place finish at the United States Junior Cross Country Championships the week before, had her goals set before the beginning of the competition.
"If I run a 4:50 mile, then I will run the mile at the Heps," Sanchez said last week.
Any guess as to what event Sanchez will run at the Heps?
The men's 120-135 showing was especially disappointing, considering that the Big Green were beaten by Brown by only a single point earlier this season.
Captain Derek West '94 said he was not entirely surprised by the outcome.
"We don't match up with them as well in a small meet," West said. "A lot of points that they won against us, they wouldn't win against some other teams."
The strength of the Big Green men's team also rested in the middle and distance events.
West won the 3000-meter run in 8:25. Aaron Bouplon '95 came in second with a time of 8:29.
Bill Thibault '94 captured first place in the mile, finishing in 4:14.
Aaron Culliney '96 placed first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:52.6. Behind him in third place was Jim Tuxbury '97, crossing the line in 1:57.
Culliney is also positive about the team's performance and its chances in the upcoming Heptagonal Championships.
"I don't usually follow the exact point totals," Culliney said. "But I know we can catch them at the Heps. We have some strong people in the shot put that have yet to compete. There is a chance for us."
Culliney and the mile relay team won their race with a time of 3:17.
Jeff Zawtocki '94, a soccer standout, captured a first place in the 500-meter run.
Scott Shimooka '95 and Dan Heinold '94 came in first and second in the pole vault, respectively.
While the 5000-meter run did not count for the total score in this particular meet, Sam Wilbur '94 won the race with a time of 14:22.
Both teams will compete at Brown this weekend and the Heptagonal Championships at Harvard next weekend.
