Even before its meet against top-ranked Ohio State began, the men's gymnastics team knew it was in trouble.

Just before the Lions' (7-1) start in Columbus, junior Karl Abraham withdrew from three events due to a sprained wrist. Abraham competed only on the still rings, vault and horizontal bar, leaving the Lions unable to discard their lowest scores on pommel horse and parallel bars.

"I decided to only go with those three events because I figured the hanging wouldn't be too bad and the vault would go quick," Abraham said. "I certainly didn't want to withdraw but I didn't think I'd be able to do the other three events well."

Consequently, the Lions fell to the No. 1 Buckeyes, 276.95-264.50, their lowest score of the season.

"Initially, we weren't intimidated by them," Coach Karl Schier said. "But you need everyone to go up against a team like Ohio State. They just have so much depth in their team and with the meet being on their home floor -- it just overcomes you."

Sophomore Mark Sohn appeared to be the only Lion gymnast not overcome, by the Buckeyes. Sohn placed first on the pommel horse for the sixth consecutive time, scoring a 9.60. But he said his performance wasn't as rewarding because of the problems the team had.

"We knew that they were supposed to be good," Sohn said. "I thought we had a very good chance at beating them. It just seems like the illnesses and injuries finally caught up to us and took their toll."

The other usually consistent performer for the Lions, Adam Carton, had his share of problems in the all-around. Although still the highest finisher for Penn State, Carton could only muster a 52.65 in the all-around, his lowest total of the season.

Carton managed a 9.35 on both the still rings and pommel horse, but suffered two major breaks on high bar, dropping his score to a 7.35. Ohio State's Mike Racanelli won the all-around with a 57.30 followed by teammate Gil Pinto who garnered a 55.35. Pinto and Racanelli are currently nationally-ranked second and third in the all-around respectively.

While it may seem like the Lions had little to cheer about, two reassuring performances came out of the dismal meet against the Buckeyes. Team captain Kurt Schier, who has been recovering from an Achilles tendon injury since the first meet of the season, scored a 9.30 on the still rings and a 9.0 on floor exercise, only the second time he has performed in that event. Schier's floor exercise score was the only one in the nines for the Lions.

"I've come to grips with the fact that my ankle will hurt if I tumble," the younger Schier said. "I'd rather go do what I'm capable of instead of mediocre gymnastics. But when it comes down to it, it's what the team needs. It's not up to me."

Freshman Doug Wilson also fared well for the Lions. The walk-on finished with an 8.8 on floor exercise, his highest score to date, and an 8.6 on vault.

Although the Lions were decidedly beaten by the Buckeyes, Schier said that they may also have been a victim of subjectivity as well.

"Ohio State looked quite good," Schier said. "I don't know if they're number one, but they are very good. They really socked it to us.

"The judging may have been part of it, also. Their scores seemed a little higher than what I would've scored and ours a little lower. But four out of the five routines we busted on pommel horse and four out of six on high bar. We finished with 13 major breaks. From our score, it looks like the bottom dropped out from under us and it did."

With this loss, the Lions will have to once again re-establish themselves as the top team in the East. Although they have beaten Navy in the two times that the teams met, the Midshipmen could lay claim to the NCAA bid if their team average is one point higher than the Lions by the end of the year.

"There are only three away meets left and they count for the average so we have to start scoring higher," Sohn said. "It's pretty darn important that we start putting our scores together otherwise we could run into some real problems."

In order to oust the Lions from their position, however, Navy will need scores somewhere in the 275 range in at least two of their meets.

"I wouldn't expect Navy to beat us," the younger Schier said. "They have to beat us by a full point and that's not going to be easy.

"It can happen. If we don't have a full lineup, it would be easier for them. But I'm sure we'll be able to bring our scores around again."