Coach Rich Lorenzo believes the wrestling team can beat Pitt and West Virginia this weekend, even though the Lions will be missing four starters.

He's not sure, however, if his team believes the same thing.

"I think we can," 126-pounder Bob Truby said. "I hope we can. West Virginia is pretty tough, so it's hard to say."

"I know I'm just wrestling for myself right now -- to keep improving myself with nationals coming up," 158-pounder Jason Suter said.

Troy Sunderland, ranked No. 1 at 142 pounds, will not wrestle this weekend to take a break from cutting weight. After three weeks of cutting 13 to 15 pounds of water weight for weigh-ins, Sunderland was unable to make weight last weekend against Iowa State.

"Making weight should be just a minor thing, but it's becoming the major thing on Troy's mind," Lorenzo said.

Taking the pressure of making weight off Sunderland should help him start to enjoy wrestling again and wrestle better, Lorenzo said. It does, however, put more pressure on the rest of the team, especially against competition like West Virginia, ranked No. 9.

"It's a real tough time for us," Lorenzo said. "We have three starters out to start with. We can't wrestle the top teams with that many guys out of the lineup and come out victorious unless we pull some major upsets. But we hit their strength with our replacement guys."

Against West Virginia, Dan Ombalski, replacing No. 9 Dave Hart at 167, will wrestle No. 4 Mark Banks; Fred Koberlein, replacing Frank Buchman at 190, will wrestle No. 3 Dominic Black; and Sunderland's replacement, freshman Bryan Zeamer, will face No. 2 Scott Collins.

Last year West Virginia used a strong performance in the middle and upper weights to defeat the Lions, 20-13, in Rec Hall and end their 56-match EWL unbeaten streak.

"It's in the back of everyone's mind," heavyweight Marc Padwe said. "I wasn't in the lineup last year, but it's just as painful to watch the varisty lose from the sidelines. I'd like to get a little revenge."

Since the injuries to Hart, Buchman and 177-pounder Matt White, Penn State's upperweights have been unable to hold the lead given to them by the lightweights.

"It's very frustrating, because I know our team is much better than that," Truby said.

The lightweights need pins or technical falls to give Penn State an even bigger early lead this weekend. Jeff Prescott has earned bonus team points in every bout this season, but Truby, a more defensive wrestler, tends not to score as many points.

Truby has worked on becoming more offensive -- opening up and taking more shots -- to improve himself individually, but this weekend scoring extra points is also important for the team.

"I don't feel any pressure, but there's a burden there -- I can feel that," Truby said.

This weekend's matches are also important for seedings at the EWL Tournament, March 1-2 at Rec Hall. Individual seedings are determined by four criteria: record against EWL opponents, record against common opponents, record against nationally ranked opponents and past wrestling performance.