Just when it seemed like the Lions would have a full complement of wrestlers for the first time this year, injuries, the flu and problems making weight struck like a plague.

With its still-depleted lineup, Penn State lost two dual meets this weekend -- Friday night at Oklahoma, 19-17, and Saturday night at Oklahoma State, 26-12.

"It's like, where's the black cloud over us?" Coach John Fritz asked. "They say that adversity makes you tougher. We've had a lot of adversity this year, and if we get through it, we'll be real tough."

Starting off the team's weekend was 118-pounder Eddie Jayne not making the trip. He had a difficult time making weight and did not show up when the team left State College Thursday morning. Fritz said Jayne was frustrated with his season-long battle to stay at 118 pounds.

Then John Hughes, in what was to be his first match after taking care of academic matters, did not make weight at 142 on Friday. Clint Musser was suffering from the flu and, rather than aggravating his condition by cutting weight, filled Hughes' spot at 142.

The Lions got wins from Sanshiro Abe, Musser, Glenn Pritzlaff and Kerry McCoy but fell to the No. 15 Sooners. The most damaging loss came at 150, when fifth-year senior Tony Bobulinski was upended by freshman Blue Perez, 9-5.

"You can't really say one match did it, because it's ten guys out there representing Penn State," Fritz said. "Their guy had a good match and Tony had a bad match. It was a tough one to lose."

Saturday, Musser and Hughes were able to get down to 134 and 142 respectively. But Abe's knee injury, which has bothered him all season, flared up just hours before the match. Because he could not wrestle, the Lions had to forfeit at 126.

Penn State got wins from Hughes, Pritzlaff and McCoy, but was handled easily by the No. 2 Cowboys.

The losses dropped the Lions to 5-8 on the season. They will have to sweep their last four dual meets --Lock Haven and Lehigh this week and Pittsburgh and West Virginia on Feb. 18 -- to avoid a losing record. The last time the team did not have a winning record was in 1979.

"Every team left on our schedule could beat us," Fritz said. "It will take a total effort. We'll probably have to wrestle over our heads --at least better than we have been. But we've got too much pride. We've lost enough already."

Despite the team's losses, McCoy has remained constant, and was dominant yet again this weekend. He pinned Oklahoma's Javier Posa at 6 minutes and Oklahoma State's Norman Williams at 5:39. The wins run his record to 30-0, and his win streak to 77.

Pritzlaff scored two impressive victories as well. He hammered Oklahoma freshman Mario Amador 11-2 and scored a big win over No. 9 Hardell Moore of Oklahoma State 3-1 in overtime.