After a long season of hill intervals, pool workouts and long distance runs, the women's cross country team will be put to the ultimate test on Friday when it will travel to Van Cortlandt Park in New York, N.Y. to compete in the prestigious Heptagonal Championship.
The women's team has never won the Heps, but the runners are hoping to make history this year, breaking their trend of second place finishes during the regular season.
"We are hoping to finish in the top two on Friday with the hopes of possibly pulling off the victory," Coach Ellen O'Neil '87 said.
A victory does not seem all that far out of reach. The Big Green have already defeated contenders Harvard and Yale in the regular season, but their biggest challenge will be facing the Cornell team. As last year's defending champion, Cornell will have momentum on its side.
The Dartmouth women, however, have performed consistently throughout the regular season and plan to be tough competition for the other teams. They placed second in the Murray Keatinge Invitational held at the University of Maine three weekends ago, outrunning a highly touted Boston University team. Kristin Cobb '95, Kristin Pierce '96, Sarah Howlett '98, and Kristin Manwaring '96 have led the Big Green.
The team has been trying to sharpen up this week by reducing mileage and increasing speed intensity and hopes its hard work will be rewarded in the form of a win. Either way, coach O'Neil said the team is ready to perform to the best of its ability.
