Penn State and Lock Haven have met 20 times on the wrestling mat. The Nittany Lions have won all of those contest.

But that streak could end when No. 21 Lock Haven (9-3) brings a balanced, veteran squad to challenge No. 13 Penn State (5-8) at 7:30 p.m. today in Rec Hall.

"I don't think we look at anything as keeping a streak alive," Lion Coach John Fritz said. "We just want to win because it's another match."

But it may be more than just another match for the Bald Eagles.

"It would be a huge win for our school," Lock Haven Coach Carl Poff said.

For Penn State, the win would also be big. The Lions dropped two straight matches last weekend, losing 19-17 to Oklahoma on Friday and 26-12 to Oklahoma State the next night. It will not get any easier tonight.

"They have a very balanced dual-meet team," Fritz said. "They have a very solid lineup and they're going to be good."

Penn State will likely be wrestling without 126-pound Sanshiro Abe, currently 26-2 and ranked No. 2 in his weight class.

Abe was forced to forfeit his match against Oklahoma State because his injured knee flared up before the bout. Fritz said Abe is "very doubtful" for tonight. Sophomore Greg Fendler will probably be the replacement.

As they have done all season, the Lions will field a team of young but talented wrestlers.

Freshmen Clint Musser (27-11 at 134 pounds) and Glenn Pritzlaff (23-6 at 158 pounds) have wrestled like veterans.

"Those two in particular have had fantastic years," Poff said. "They're young college guys, but they have a lot of experience."

Lock Haven may have the edge in experience. Five fifth-year seniors, who Poff said have "shown great leadership," will weigh in for the match.

With only four matches remaining, Penn State must win all of them to avoid the school's first losing season since 1979 (2-11). But that is not the squad's main concern.

"It would be nice for us to finish out 4-0," Musser said. "That's what we want to do. We aren't going to base our season on it."

In the past, when both Penn State and Lock Haven were members of the Eastern Wrestling League, the intrastate rivalry was more intense. Now, Fritz said he does not believe the rivalry is as big because the Lions have so many young wrestlers who were not at Penn State during its EWL days.

But Fritz added when "you have a backyard brawl, so to speak, you have more of a rivalry, and there is more at stake."

Poff agreed.

"With them being so close, it's kind of a backyard thing," he said. "Our guys are looking forward to the match."

And so is Penn State's 150-pound Tony Bobulinski.

"We'll be sky high," the senior co-captain said. "I think it's always been a big match. To them, it's an extra-special match, but for us, we've been approaching every match the same."

Notes:

-- Penn State heavyweight Kerry McCoy will be looking for his 78th consecutive win. His streak dates back to last season, when he captured the NCAA heavyweight title. The junior has a 96-17 career record.

-- Cary Kolat, the former Penn State wrestler who holds the school's career record for falls in a season (20) and finished third in the NCAA championships at 134 pounds last season, is now enrolled at Lock Haven.

Last season, Kolat left Penn State after two years with the Lions. But he will not be eligible to wrestle until next January. While wrestling unattached, he won an individual championship at the Midlands Tournament on Dec. 29-30.