For the past seven years, Ohio State and Penn State have battled for bragging rights as the top women's gymnastics team in the Northeast.

That rivalry will continue at 7:30 tomorrow night when the Lady Buckeyes and five other squads visit Rec Hall for the NCAA Northeast Regionals.

Although seven teams are scheduled to compete, the Lady Lions and the Lady Buckeyes most likely will be fighting for the title and the automatic berth in the NCAA Championships.

And that suits Coach Judi Avener just fine.

Avener said her team always makes a strong push at the end of the season to catch Ohio State, and this year is no exception. Two weeks ago the Lady Lions had their best meet of the season, scoring a 186.85 to win the Atlantic 10 Championships.

"They've got to hear the footsteps and they've got to just know we're doing it again," Avener said.

Besides Penn State and Ohio State, others competing for the team championship are New Hampshire, Indiana University at Pennsylvania, Kent State, Temple and Pittsburgh.

Penn State's two previous losses to Ohio State this season came at times when the team was in the midst of adversity.

The first meeting was at Ohio State, where the team was reeling from the losses of Kathy Parody (who missed the season) and top all-arounder Lynn Crane (out temporarily with a bruised heel). The result was a 184.55-179.75 drubbing.

The second loss was three weeks ago when the Lady Lions were just getting back to full strength as Crane returned to the all-around for the first time since the Cat Classic in late January. The much improved Lady Lions put on a good showing but still lost, 186.90-185.15.

This time, though, the team is healthy and ready to defend its title as 1988 regional champions.

"These kids are improving daily by leaps and bounds and are ready to go," Avener said.

Senior captain Debbie O'Brien knows this could be her last meet. She also knows what's at stake and is not ready to end her career just yet.

"Senior night really didn't hit me, but I know this is my last meet in Rec Hall and it's going to be special," O'Brien said.

The keys for this weekend will be the same as they have been all season long: aggression, intensity, confidence, unity and good beam routines.

The Lady Lions scored a season high on the beam at the Atlantic 10s (47.00) and it has been their main concern at practice.

Two individual titles also will be on the line this weekend as Lynn Crane defends her all-around title and Crane and Ohio State's Julie Somers defend the balance beam championship for which they tied last year.

Crane will have her work cut out for her, considering she is ranked third in the region behind Somers and Monica Stavros of Ohio State in the all-around. Other challenges may come from Penn State's Debbie O'Brien and Kim Thrasher and from Maureen LaGrua, from Bridgeport, who qualified in the all-around.

"I'm not thinking about the all-around. If the team does well then everything else will fall into place," Crane said.

Beating Ohio State and going to the NCAA Championships one last time is what O'Brien would like to remember from her last home meet. And she thinks the teams chances are good.

"We are really psyched, we can't wait," O'Brien said.