Looking for its second straight title, the women's track team placed a disappointing fifth with 41 points at the ECAC indoor championships at the Boston University this past weekend.

Villanova won the meet with 64 points, followed by George Mason, Connecticut and Georgetown. Pitt was sixth with 38 points.

Coach Teri Jordan said that the team's unfortunate showing represents only one meet and not the culmination of the entire season.

At least some part of the team's failure to repeat last year's victory can be attributed to injuries suffered by key team members. Sophomore Jackie Brown pulled her hamstring in the semifinal heat of the 55-meter dash in which she set a new school record with a 7.08.

Though minor, her injury eliminated her from the 55-meter dash, the 200 meters and the 1,600-meter relay; her absence in the first two events probably shaved points from the team score because she was expected to do well in both. Jordan believes, for example, that her 7.08 would have placed at least third.

Substituting sophomore Shelley Mitchell for her roommate Brown, the 1,600-meter relay team of seniors Carmen Mann, Pam Connell and junior Leslie Hummer still managed third place with a season best time of 3:44.7.

"We were pretty happy. We were worried after Jackie was hurt, but it turned out well," Mann said.

Things also "turned out well" for Mann in the long jump, as she won with a 20'1½". However, she was not as fortunate in the triple jump, in which she didn't place.

This week Mann will be able to concentrate solely on jumping technique in preparation for this weekend's NCAA championship in Indianapolis where she will compete in both the triple and long jumps.

After winning the pentathalon three years in a row, Connell took second this year with 3,763 points, 125 points behind George Mason's Nena Gage. Connell contributed to another second place in the distance medley relay, with team members Hummer, junior Amanda Dudley and sophomore Laurie Morrow.

The 3,200-meter relay of Morrow, senior Teressa DiPerna, and sophomores Jen Prutzman and Mary Beth Powers placed fifth with 8:59.5, but did not better its time, and didn't qualify for the NCAAs.

Senior Stacy Prey was hampered by a lingering groin strain. She ran a 16:30.46 for third in the 5,000 meters, but did not compete in other events to protect her for this event at the NCAAs. Jordan noted that Prey would have run other events had she been injury-free.

"These little odds and ends add up to points that could be the difference in points between fifth and first," Jordan said. "But, the team had a great attitude; they didn't get down and tried hard the second day."

Jordan added later that the loss has made the team more determined for the outdoor season, which opens in two weeks.