Earlier this season, Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan commented that it would be nice to have a second Big Ten championship banner to complement the one that had just been raised this season in the Multi-Sport Facility. However, that banner will have to wait until next year to get some company.

Penn State's women's indoor track team fell short of repeating as Big Ten champions, finishing fourth at this weekend's conference championship meet with a team score of 74 points, putting the Nittany Lions behind Minnesota, Illiniois, and champion Michigan, which boasted a score of 130 points.

For the Lions, the meet represented the worst-case scenario.

"We had a tremendously difficult weekend," Alford-Sullivan said. "We had some things that went against us that were out of our control."

The troubles started early for the team as freshman Gayle Hunter reaggravated the tendonitis in her knee during her last high jump attempt in the pentathlon. The injury caused her to finish well below her normal pentathlon score, ending up in ninth place with a score of 3,570 points, well shy of her previous Big Ten leading score of 4,059 points.

"I was limping down the runway. I couldn't really run," Hunter said. "It was just bad."

The troubles continued into Penn State's sprint corps as both freshmen Dominique Blake and Shana Cox were disqualified in the 400-meter run because of lane violations. Penn State protested the officials' decision, but was denied a reversal. The disqualifications cost Penn State significant points.

"In the championships, when you lose 18 points, it's hard to recover after that," Alford-Sullivan said.

Amplifying the problems in the sprints was the Lions' inability to win any points in the distance events. As expected, Michigan dominated the distance events. The Wolverines were paced by senior Lindsey Gallo, who won the 3,000-meter run, the 5,000-meter run and the mile run.

"We didn't get any lucky breaks," Alford-Sullivan said of the distance events.

After all the early struggles and lack of points in the distance events, Penn State was out of contention for a second consecutive Big Ten title as well as a top-three finish by day two, but continued to fight hard.

"The second day we really gave it a lot of heart," senior throws captain Kate Johnston said. "We're using this experience to motivate us into [the outdoor season]."

The throwing events represented the lone bright spot of the weekend for Penn State. Junior Jennifer Leatherman placed first in the shotput with a throw of 51-3.75 feet and first in the weight throw with a Big Ten record-breaking throw of 69-11.50 feet. The throw also gives Leatherman an automatic NCAA qualifying mark.

"She was ranked No. 1 in both events," Alford-Sullivan said. "So we were expecting those results."

Johnston again finished close to Leatherman in the weight throw, placing third with a throw of 63-7.75 feet.

The throws were the only field events in which Penn State scored points.

Even though Penn State did not bring home another Big Ten title, the team believes it still is one of the best teams in the Big Ten this year.

"We didn't lose because the other teams were better than us," Hunter said. "We lost because we didn't do what we were supposed to do. We defeated ourselves."

After the meet, Alford-Sullivan said her athletes still carried themselves like champions despite not performing their best and said that she was extremely proud of her team.

"We performed like champions," Alford-Sullivan said. "We did everything we could."

It just was not enough to get that second banner.