Lebrun-Fortin has had more success this season in the slalom, but the first-year skier shined in his first NCAA meet. Josh Kernan (Shelburne, N.H.) also was strong for the Mules in placing 14th out of 33 men's finishers. Colby women's skier Dana Breakstone (Sparta, N.J.) had problems on both runs and finished 35th.

Lebrun-Fortin, the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association Male Rookie of the Year in alpine skiing and a first team All-East selection, had runs of 51.37 and 49.55 for a two-run total time of 1:40.92. The first run had him in ninth place and he had the seventh-best second run to get him into seventh.

The slalom runs will be Saturday and Lebrun-Fortin is one of the favorites for a national title. He won one race this season and was second in the slalom at the Eastern Championships.

Kernan was consistent in both of his runs with times of 51.82 and 49.84 for a two-run total time of 1:41.66. Kernan also has been solid in the slalom this year and is expected to do well Saturday.

Breakstone hopes to rebound in the slalom after problems on both runs forced her to just finish both races to score five points for Colby.

The Colby men, despite having just two skiers (three make up a full team), finished eighth overall in the giant slalom with 59 points. The Mules were just one point out of seventh place and four away from fifth place. In the overall standings (Nordic and alpine combined), Colby is 12th with 126 points heading into Nordic skiing Friday at 11:30 a.m. (EST).

Men's giant slalom team scores

1. Vermont 96; 2. Denver 93; 3. Middlebury 79; 4. New Hampshire 70; 5. Utah 63; 6. Dartmouth 61; 7. Nevada 60; 8. Colby 59; 9. Williams 54; 10. Alaska-Anchorage 45; 11. Northern Michigan 40; 12. Colorado 30; 13. Montana State 9