In an NCAA Northeast Regional meet that its coach, Steve Shephard, would call a "pressure cooker," the Penn State women's gymnastics team finished fourth out of six teams, ending any hopes of a shot at the national title.

Placing behind host team Michigan, Arizona State and Iowa State, Penn State (16-13) scored 196.175 points Saturday night in front of a Crisler Arena crowd of 1,766.

The balance beam once again proved to be perilous for the Nittany Lions, due to uncharacteristic falls from senior co-captain Leslie Bair and Big Ten all-around champion Katie Rowland.

After Nikki Bongiovanni opened up the event with a mediocre, wobble-filled routine, Bair followed with a fall. Katie McAvoy, who qualified for the NCAA individual championships in the all-around competition, turned things around with a solid showing, scoring a 9.850. After Rowland tumbled from the beam, sophomore Kate Stopper responded with a 9.750 and freshman Meredith Hoover, with maturity and poise, anchored Penn State with a second-place showing of 9.900.

Penn State opened on the uneven parallel bars, accumulating 48.950 points. After the balance beam misfortune, Penn State returned positively on the floor, scoring a robust 49.450 points. In the final rotation, Penn State competed on the vault, amassing 49.125 points.

"The pressure was really on us," Shephard said, "and we gave it everything we had." Ranked No. 10 in the nation and scoring 196.825 points, Michigan finished in first place and advanced to the NCAA Championships along with third-ranked Arizona State, which totaled 196.725 points. All-around first- and second-place finishers Calli Ryals and Jenny Deiley led the Wolverines.

The Northeast Regional proved to be one of the tougher competitions, as each team scored at least 194.500 points. In the Southeast Regional, three of the six teams failed to amass 194 points, with the second qualifying team from the region scoring a mere 194.950.

With regional success, Michigan is optimistic about national competition.

"We're really looking forward to nationals," Michigan women's gymnastics coach Beverly Plocki said, "because we feel that we can fight for the championship." Although the entire Penn State squad will not be traveling to NCAA Championships in Lincoln, Neb., on April 24-26, McAvoy and Rowland will be competing for individual recognition, with McAvoy participating in the all-around and Rowland qualifying in the vault and floor events. Proud of eclipsing the 196 mark for the second straight meet, Penn State was satisfied with its performance, but saddened that its season as a team would not continue.

"Falling on the beam was what kept us out of the running," McAvoy said. "The meet was bittersweet. If I could give up [the individual competition] in order to have everybody come, I would do it for sure."