No one on the Penn State men's soccer team wanted to have the regular season end like it did on Saturday night.

The Nittany Lions (11-5-2) dropped its final match of the regular season to Hartwick 3-1 and now has to rebound and prepare for the Big Ten Tournament that gets underway Nov. 9.

More of a concern than the loss for Penn State is the continuous injury and illness that is plaguing the squad and has now marked another member of the shrinking squad.

Penn State junior defender Chris Stout has suffered an ankle injury and now is on the long list of Lions who have either an injury or are ill.

Hartwick (10-8-1) obviously took advantage of the Lions, scoring three goals by Neil McLean, Karl Gibbons and Rob Catana.

Holding a 1-1 tie at halftime, Hartwick dominated the second half of play, as the Hawks scored twice and put the lead too far ahead for Penn State to catch up.

The lone Lions goal was started by junior midfielder Derek Potteiger, who found Dale Jordan in the center of the field, turned and fired the ball past Hartwick goalkeeper Randall Moate.

Penn State defender Jorma Makipaa said it is time for the Lions to concentrate on the postseason and not worry about the troubling times they have had as of late.

"This was not what we were expecting to happen," the junior said.

"Now it means we are one game from ending the season.

"We can't do anything but learn from the past."

Unfortunately for Penn State men's soccer coach Barry Gorman, he doesn't even have a full week to get his troops back to full potential.

With the Big Ten Tournament starting this Thursday at Ohio State, Gorman and the Lions have to find a way to get healthy if they hope to challenge the likes of national champion Indiana and other talent-laden squads.

Makipaa thinks they can get it done.

"The next game is the most important game," he said.

"We do have a good enough squad to beat these teams."