That oh, so bitter taste of losing was something with which the Penn State women's soccer team didn't have to deal too much this season.

In fact, until Sunday's loss, the No. 3 Nittany Lions (18-2-1) didn't taste it for over two months, dating back to the season-opening game against Washington.

So now the Lions have a week to swish it around in their mouths, and one thing is for sure, they don't like it. If they have it their way, Friday will give the Lions a chance to dispose of that taste, preferably all over their next opponent.

"We always have a hiccup in the Big Ten season and it just came at the end this time for us," junior forward Tiffany Weimer said Sunday. "We're just thinking about bouncing back now. I feel bad for the team we play on Friday."

State University of New York at Binghamton is that team, after seedings were announced yesterday for the NCAA tournament, which starts on Friday. The Lions notched the No. 2 seed for the tournament meaning they will host games all the way up to the College Cup, which is played in North Carolina.

There is no doubt that the loss to No. 13 Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament championship game was hard to swallow. The Lions won all 10 regular season conference games in impressive fashion and proved themselves a power to be reckoned with past the Big Ten tournament.

Now they have that chance. It starts Friday and for Penn State, there is a maximum of six games remaining on the schedule to convert that stomach-dropping feeling into a championship run.

"Our No. 1 goal was to win the Big Ten and our second was to win the Big Ten tournament, so the fact that we didn't is disappointing," junior goalkeeper Erin McLeod said. "I think it's a good thing because we all hate this feeling."

The only other time the Lions lost this season, they went undefeated over their next 19 games. All they have to do now is win six in a row, albeit, against tougher opponents in higher pressure situations.

Things don't change now because of one loss. Penn State is still the Big Ten champion of the regular season and the way it won that title, along with 18 games, remains the same.

Though the defense gave up four goals in two games, it has given up just nine in 21 games this season. After seeing a pair of motivated Big Ten foes in the tournament, the unit has a week to regroup and regain the dominance it flaunted all season.

And of course the Lions still have Weimer. The Hermann Trophy semifinalist has scored in 18 of 21 games this season, including 13 games in a row with a goal.

The double-and triple-teams on Sunday that shut her down proved that she'll need help in the tournament, but, as most of the season has showed, shutting down a great goal scorer is easier said than done. Her 25 goals will tell anyone that.

If anything, the loss to a bitter rival like Ohio State only sparks the flames deep within Penn State's competitive spirits.

"We're still confident," McLeod said. "Also it adds a little more fire to our bellies and it'll show in the tournament."

The main thing about this team all season is that the schedule is played one game at a time. Wilkins does a good job of making her team realize that. The Lions have to know it by now, and if they don't they'll have all offseason to figure it out.

"We'll make sure we do some reflecting on how good we were and how proud we are of that," Wilkins said of her team's regular season. "Right now though, it's a whole new season."