When the women's gymnastics team competes in New Hampshire at 7 p.m. tomorrow, the Lady Lions will try to think of the meet as just another practice.

"We try to make practice more like a meet and we will try to make a meet more like practice," Coach Judi Avener said.

The gymnasts are not focusing on what they are doing in the meets, Avener said. She added that practice performances are much better than meet performances.

Instead of practicing routines over and over, the Lady Lions, ranked No. 13 nationally, spent this week practicing technique.

"We've really tried to spend a lot of energy focusing on the specific tricks that gave us trouble," Avener said.

"Practices have not been as demanding because we focused more on individual skills as opposed to doing more routines," all-arounder Allison Barber said. "I think it was more beneficial; it should be a good meet."

The Lady Lions (6-1) are looking forward to competing against New Hampshire (6-3) on the road. The NCAA Regional Championship will be in New Hampshire this season so the Lady Lions will already be familiar with the floor, should they make it to regionals.

"We consider New Hampshire to be one of the major threats to us winning the regional championship," Avener said. "If we can beat New Hampshire at New Hampshire it's sure going to boost our confidence."

Penn State leads New Hampshire 6-2 in the series. In its best performance last season, Penn State defeated New Hampshire 189.45-185.45.

New Hampshire's highest score of this season is a 184.9. By contrast Penn State's highest score is 189.5.

New Hampshire's coach Gail Goodspeed said it is the highest her team has scored this early in the season for several seasons.

"I anticipate us breaking 188 and 189 soon," Goodspeed said.

New Hampshire has been able to train at a higher level since it moved into a new $3.5 million facility. The team used to put up and take down its equipment at each practice, Goodspeed said.

Junior all-arounder Lori Brady returns to New Hampshire this year after missing regionals last season. She has a 9.8 on the vault, her best event.

Note: Penn State's Tracy Salvino has retired from the team. For the past year she has suffered from compartment syndrome, a pain in the wrists that will not go away.