Although the men's gymnastics team will compete in a tri-meet at Temple University this weekend, the Lions are guiding all of their energies toward only one team: the Midshipmen of Navy.

In order to receive an automatic bid for the NCAA championships, the Lions must be ranked first among Eastern schools. The only team that could possibly stand in the way of Penn State is Navy.

"They're going to try to be as tough as they were last year," Coach Karl Schier said. "I know they're up for us in terms of doing they're best. This is their biggest meet of the season, by far."

Accompanying the Lions' need to win is their desire to win. Last year, the Midshipmen downed Penn State, 275.60-275.30. While the Lions were still able to qualify for the NCAAs based on their final team average, their NCAA berth was not secured until the end of the season.

"Our hope is to get by this weekend right away," Schier said. "To put Navy behind us and our Eastern qualification automatic slot into the NCAAs with it."

The Lions are only in their fourth meet of the year, but say they are up to the challenge of the meet against their Eastern foe.

"I've been ready for Navy for the last three months," team captain Kurt Schier said. "I think the team is ready, also. They don't think they are but the last meet we had really shaped us up. It really taught us how to compete."

"We're looking for it," junior Karl Abraham added. "We know they're hungry, too . . . starved, in fact. But we are, too. We have to hit to win, hit good sets."

Since the meet is at Temple, a neutral floor for both teams, it would seem that neither Navy nor Penn State would have an advantage. However, the elder Schier said that the Temple floor has not been good to the Lions in the past.

"We have never, in all of the years that I've been here, scored as Penn State should to my satisfaction in Philadelphia," he said. "Obviously their equipment is different than ours. But that isn't the only factor involved. In a way, the Temple floor is a hostile floor for us. The rivalry from other sports always carries over to gymnastics."

Even with all of these things seemingly working against them, the Lions have received some good news this week. Sophomore Jamie Downer, who suffered both a knee injury and a serious illness already this season, is beginning to come around.

Downer only compiled a 49.75 in last week's all-around competition. His highest total to date is a 50.05 in the team's first meet against Syracuse.

"I feel a lot stronger than last week," Downer said. "My arms just gave out last week. I feel a lot better about myself this time around."

With all of the hype surrounding the confrontation with Navy, it's easy to forget that Temple will also be in the meet. While the Lions easily handled the Owls 273.25-266.60 last year, no team can be overlooked.

"They have some good guys, but they have a lot of holes," the younger Schier said. "I think it's going to be a good meet even with them. No one really has said anything about them, but I know in the back of my mind that they have some guys that can make it tough.

"I don't expect them to surprise anyone and run away with it and win. But I don't think we should just look past them."

If the Lions do lose to Navy, they will have another chance to fight back next weekend when the two face off in Rec Hall.

"It almost seems unfair," the elder Schier said. "We went down there last year (to Annapolis) and never really got another shot at them. If we lose now, we have to get them here. I'd rather not have to do that. This team doesn't want to lose to Navy again."