W.X-Country cannot shake injury bug at Paul Short Invite

The Penn women's cross-country team may want to consider moving practice to HUP, given the startling number of injuries that have beset the Quakers already in 1999. Penn headed to Lehigh for the Paul Short Invitational this past weekend and walked away with a 21st-place finish from the field of 33 teams. As has been the case in every meet so far this season, however, the Quakers were short-handed. Freshmen Neha Amin was ill and thus unable to run. Things only got worse for Penn when Katie Henderson reinjured her ankle partway through the race and could not finish. Penn was led in the race by Stephanie Bell, who finished 49th overall. This was a remarkable finish for Bell considering that this was her first meet back after suffering from respiratory problems. Junior captain Meredith Rossner also turned in a solid performance, finishing second for Penn and 67th overall. Team members have been frustrated by the injury problems which have plagued them throughout the young season. "Every weekend we have had a piece of the puzzle missing," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "We need to have our top runners all competing to be at our best." The loss of Henderson partway through the race on Saturday was a major blow to the Quakers. "I have never stopped before in a race," said Henderson. "It is very frustrating." Even though the Quakers were running without Amin and Henderson, they were able to salvage the race. The 21st-place finish is respectable given the competition against whom the Quakers had to run. The field of teams that the Quakers faced this weekend was deeper and more talented than they are used to seeing. Victorious Georgetown -- as well as Wake Forest and James Madison -- has one of the best women's track and cross-country programs in the nation. "There were definitely some bigwigs out there," Tenisci said. "Those kids are really like professional athletes. We have some great athletes but it is kind of different." Georgetown was able to run away with the meet by placing four runners in the top nine. No other school placed more than one athlete in the top nine. Although the Quakers did not finish as high as they had hoped, the general consensus among the team is that the effort level on Saturday was high. "We definitely improved but there is also more room for improvement," Bell said. "It is frustrating because we are capable of a lot more than we have shown." The meet did provide valuable experience for the young runners. "The freshmen are coming along well," Rossner said. "They are learning and helping the team at the same time." With the strong class of young runners Penn has to be excited about the future of the team. "We have great leaders with Rossner and Bell," Tenisci said. "The young kids just need time to grow." With the continued improvement of the freshmen, as well as the probable return from injury of Amin and Henderson, Penn should be a better team as the season progresses.