CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Before the NCAA Wrestling Championships began, Penn State Coach John Fritz predicted that his team had a very slim chance of winning the national championship.

Even though the Lions entered the competition as the No. 4 team, they would need an almost-miraculous effort from the six representatives, and for Iowa and Oklahoma State to suffer some major upsets. After the first two rounds were completed, the Lions did their part but they hadn't gotten the help they needed from the other teams.

At the end of the second round, Penn State stood in sixth place with 14 points. The Lions trailed Iowa (24 points), Oklahoma State (22.75), Arizona State and Oregon State (14.5) and Minnesota (14.25).

Four Penn State wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals, which begin at 12 p.m. today. Sanshiro Abe (126), Cary Kolat (134), John Hughes (142) and Kerry McCoy (heavyweight) remain in the championship bracket.

Abe wrestled two typical Abe matches. He dominated action on his feet as his opponents did everything they could to avoid mixing it up with him.

"Guys are staying away from him," Fritz said. "I thought he wrestled really well. I thought he was smart and not panicky."

Kolat survived a preliminary round scare when he managed a 12-10 win over George Mason's Willie Stravino. Kolat jumped out to a 10-4 lead before Stravino caught the undeafeted Kolat and put him on his back.

"I think he got a little impatient," Fritz said. "Hey, in this thing, you've got to win. I know Cary wants to pin everybody, but sometimes you just have to take what's there."

Hughes looked impressive, especially in the second round in the win over Missouri All-American Kenny Liddell. Hughes used two third-period takedowns to beat the No. 8 seed, 6-4.

"That was a good win for John," Fritz said. "It was a conflict of styles and John did a nice job on the mat."

Hughes says quite a task ahead of him if he is to reack the semifinals. Oklahoma State's undefeated, and so far untouchable, Alan Freid is Hughes' next opponent.

Freid beat Hughes 16-5 in a dual meet in the beginning of this season.

"I've got to control the tie-ups and stay on my offense," Hughes said. "In Rec Hall for the first two periods, I was in a match and he took control."

After a close scrap in his first match, McCoy fought with a vengeance and beat Cal-State Bakersfield's Kevin Langley, winning 16-6.

"You feel a lot better when you get the first one over with," McCoy said. "If you can get out there and wrestle a good, solid match at the beginning, then you feel a lot better."

McCoy, who entered the meet as a solid favorite, looks to be in even better shape now that a number of highly-seeded wrestlers have lost.

"As long as I can keep in my game and keep wrestling tough, I think I can go all the way," McCoy said.

Russ Hughes (150) lost his first-round match to No. 4 Jacob Newbe of Oklahoma State. Hughes kept his hopes of becoming an All-American alive when he won his first consolation match.

Brian Matusic also lost his first-round match to Air Force's Brett Machovina and was eliminated in the tournament when Machovina lost his next match.