Following the Penn State women's soccer team's 3-0 loss to No. 1 North Carolina on Sept. 9, coach Paula Wilkins was describing the physicality of the game, which was the most bruising contest her team had been involved in at that point in the season.

"I think that's how the Big Ten will be this year," Wilkins said.

Her prognostication proved correct, as conference teams have been using thuggish techniques in an attempt to slow down the Nittany Lions scoring attack that make the Tar Heels' fouls look like a game of patty-cake. This is especially true for defenders charged with covering forwards Christie Welsh and Heidi Drummond who have combined to score 27 goals.

Since opening up its Big Ten season against Minnesota on Sept. 23, Penn State players have been grabbed more often than O-Town. Lines for beer at frat parties do not have as much shoving and elbowing as goes on in these games.

Less tripping occurred at one of Ken Kesey's acid tests. Opposing defenders have tugged on Lions' jerseys like small children afraid of being separated from their mother in a crowded mall.

Nevertheless, Penn State has persevered, compiling a 13-2-1 record (with the Carolina loss being the last one), an 8-0-1 in the Big Ten, rising to fourth in the NSCAA/adidas rankings and capturing its fourth consecutive Big Ten crown.

Still, all those black and blue marks are starting to add up. Drummond and defender Megan Mills have each missed time in the last three games. Also MIA is defender Leigh Hamilton, who has been on crutches since the Oct. 12 game at Iowa.

So far, the Lions have been able to get by, but over the weekend they did not give the dominating performances that marked the better part of the season. Both Wisconsin and Northwestern utilized a strategy of packing their defenders, which made their zones so congested that Penn State's attack could not find enough room to move. Substitutions followed almost every play stoppage to keep fresh legs dogging the Lions' big guns. Offensively, the Badgers and Wildcats tried to score on breakaway opportunities that such a heavy concentration of players create.

The net result: two Penn State wins — but that is not the whole story.

While Penn State controlled the ball and the tempo in both games, it only scored three goals all weekend and Northwestern threatened until time expired. And these teams were battling for last place in the Big Ten.

I don't want to sound as if I'm blaming the offense because I'm not. They gave themselves plenty of opportunities to score. It is just nearly impossible to score with such a heavy concentration of defenders.

It is just that point in the season when all the collisions and long bus rides begin to take their toll. All that wear and tear, combined with defenses that have had two months to prepare, reduce the number of times the offense is converting on those opportunities.

And while Penn State can beat most of the country with the caliber of its defense and a few goals, wins will not come so easily against elite teams such as North Carolina and UCLA.

If Penn State wants to claim its first national title this season, it will need to get healthy enough to control the scoreboard in addition to procession because once the Lions hit the NCAA tournament, teams will not make concessions like only playing one forward. Make no mistake, once this team hits its stride again it can score almost at will and has the big time players up front to run up scores.

But if they don't, they might not get another opportunity to get bruised by the Tar Heels.