I don't have any insider knowledge of team strategy, but as an observer, it was clear that Geneseo was running as a pack for at least halfway. It was even more clear in the women's race. UR did put out a good hard effort, and I don't think Cortland was holding back based on how they looked and how Coach Patrick was yelling at them.
The times may not seem real fast, but it is only September 15th. The course was dry, even with it raining yesterday. Overall, I liked the course from a spectators point of view. Except for the lapped runners, which there were many (especially Bryant & Stratton), there wasn't much to complain about with the course.
As for Cornell, they usually come to the UR invite with their B team. Why would they not come just because it's the pre-regional? Both Cornell teams had a tight group amongst themselves through 4k for women and 5k for the men. Only Brian Lang was able to mix it up with Cornell.