The season's end may be closer than expected for the No. 16 Penn State women's gymnastics team. The Nittany Lions will have one last chance to prove that they are one of the best gymnastics squads in the region.

The third-seeded Lions will participate in the NCAA Central Regional Competition tonight at 6 p.m. CST in Louisiana. The Lions will take on No. 7 LSU, No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 20 Kentucky, Ohio State and Michigan State. The team must finish in the top two to be eligible for a run in the NCAA championship.

The team had a bye week last week after coming off an unexpected and uncharacteristic third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships.

Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said the team used its week off to continue training and working on consistency.

"We simulated pressure situations and mentally prepared them to do the best they can and hit routines," he said.

Senior Meredith Hoover said the team is very well prepared to compete and its gymnastics is just as good as any other team, if not better.

The team seems to be hitting all its routines cleanly and precisely at the situational practices, indicating that nerves may not be a hindrance at tonight's meet.

"We feel like we have a good chance," Shephard said. "We just need to do our job."

The team had a few injuries during its Big Ten run, but the gymnasts have recovered and are ready for competition. Hoover's ankle is not perfect but she will definitely be competing on beam and bars. There is a chance she will do the vault, but her crowd favorite floor routine will be missed tonight.

Hoover said that the gymnasts have mentally prepared by keeping their ultimate goals in front of them.

"We're focused and working on the specific skills that will get us to nationals," she said. "We think about what we've done to get to this point."

The gymnastics team alumni often send e-mails of support and encouragement before big meets. These e-mails help the gymnasts reflect on the task at hand and remind them that their teammates from many years ago will always be behind them.

"These are people who've been through this before, been to nationals and know how it is," Hoover said. "It is motivating and inspirational."