Last year, Georgia plowed over the women's gymnastics team on the road to a national championship, but at 8 tomorrow night, the No. 16 Lady Lions will get a chance to defend their hometurf in a tri-meet against the No. 3 Lady Bulldogs and Kent State in Rec Hall.

"We're a much higher caliber team than we were last year," junior Lynn Crane said. "We're going to, hopefully, turn some heads."

"They were clear and away the better team (last year)," Coach Judi Avener said. "This year, I still think they are the better team, but we've narrowed the gap."

Last weekend, the Lady Lions (11-6) earned the highest Penn State score ever with a 189.45. The previous high was 188.35 at last season's NCAA Regionals.

But Georgia (18-2) has also been gaining some ground lately. In every one of its last three meets, the team has improved its season-best score. Last week at home, the Lady Bulldogs knocked out UCLA and posted a high of 192.55. Georgia leads the series over Penn State, 4-2.

"We've been improving as the season's gone on," Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan said. "We think we can score a 190, 191 . . . we're putting in a strong lineup."

That strong lineup is led by senior Corrinne Wright, the 1989 national champion in the all-around and co-champion on floor exercise. She has earned All-American status on everything but balance beam. This year, the Mount Vernon (N.Y.) native is nationally ranked No. 1 on the uneven bars (9.82 regional qualifying average) and No. 7 in the all-around (38.49 qualifying average). Wright's highest score this season is a 38.90.

The team's only other senior, Andrea Thomas, has been an All-American on beam for three straight years. In the nation, she holds the No. 3 spot on beam and captured a 9.90 on it last weekend.

Besides Wright, freshmen Heather Stepp and Jennifer Carbone may take spots in the the all-around competition.

The competition may prove to be fierce on vault, as Penn State's vaulting team is ranked seventh, right behind Georgia's sixth spot. Lisa Mallios, who holds the school vault record of 9.85, leads the Lady Lions currently as the No. 2 vaulter in the nation.

"Again, I think it's just a matter of us hitting," Mallios said. "I think we have a good chance to do pretty well."

But, if Penn State has got the vaulters, then Georgia has the stronghold on uneven bars. Its bars team, ranked No. 2 (regional qualifying average of 48.15), boasts three of its gymnasts in the top 10 on bars. Besides Wright, Stepp is No. 7 and sophomore Chris Rodis, an All-American on vault, is No. 10.

All-arounders Kim Thrasher and Allison Barber will lead the Lady Lions. Barber is back after missing last Sunday's meet because of a fall on bars in warmups. Recovered from a foot injury, Crane plans to compete on both the uneven bars and beam. Avener said the rest of the lineup will remain primarily the same.

Kent State (4-9) recorded a high score of 184.60 against Central Michigan. Amy Musgrove heads the team in the all-around with a high score of 37.35. She also is its top vaulter with a 9.35.

"Kent State beat Ohio State and Ohio State is our No. 1 rival," Crane said. "So we're not going to shove them aside. (But), Georgia's definitely our main focus."

Both Penn State and Georgia have suffered losses to No. 2 Alabama this season. In its first away meet since its loss against Florida on Feb. 16, the Lady Bulldogs are looking for a road win.

"We're looking for a consistent meet," Yoculan said. "We have to perform away with less than six falls. It's our last regular season meet. It's sort of a stress-mess time, but they seem very relaxed."

The meeting between the two teams also holds significance because Yoculan graduated from Penn State in 1975, but was not a member of the gymnastics team.