When a journalist sits at his computer for a long time and cannot figure what to type, this is commonly referred to as writer's block.

Not knowing how to write, fix or complete a story is one of the most frustrating things a writer can go through.

At the moment, the Penn State men's soccer team is going through its own version of writer's block.

After each loss, the Nittany Lions (3-7-1, 2-1 Big Ten) stand underneath the visitor's bleachers confused and stumped on what is wrong with the current defending Big Ten champions.

Senior Simon Omekanda said it best two weeks ago when, after a 2-1 loss to West Virginia, he was asked what was wrong with the team.

"I have no idea," Omekanda said. "At this point I seriously have no idea."

When Omekanda envisioned the story of this season, he saw a repeat of last year's Big Ten Championship run with goals being scored by himself and fellow forward Jason Yeisley, returning to their All-Big Ten form.

But the early season leg injury to Yeisley caused a major rewrite, as a new offensive force would have to rise for the Lions.

Missing Yeisley is like missing the letter "A" from a keyboard for a computer. You won't get very far without it.

Omekanda is not the only senior who envisioned the story of his final season as a sequel to last year's triumph.

Markku Viitanen was supposed to be the knight in shining armor, returning from his preseason injury to save the day for the Lions.

But when he returned, he came back to a team riddled with injuries and has been frustrated with what is currently going on, especially in last Sunday's loss to Ohio State."

"I don't know what's going on," Viitanen said. "First half we started great, we scored a goal. Then it just disappears and they get the momentum and they were just like rolling over us."

If Viitanen could write the story of the season right now, he would have the rest of the season be the glorious return of a team that dominated Big Ten play last year.

But right now he can not see what is the best way to go on with the season.

With the list of characters/athletes for the team's story dropping like flies every week to injury, it's hard to see how this team's story will finish.

The only way is to look to the captain and his positive outlook.

"There has to be a way to fix it," Viitanen said. "I believe that we can find a way."

With the captain of the Lions envisioning the last third of the season being the storybook ending for the team, Penn State coach Barry Gorman has stayed positive too -- he has been in this position many times before.

"Things don't surprise you anymore," Gorman said.

With the three main scribes of the Lions' season currently experiencing their own version of writer's block the input of many other less experienced writers/athletes are needed.

The problem all year has been finding players to put the ball in the net and to help goalie Conrad Taylor keep the ball out of the net.

Freshmen Daniel Martini and Andrew Parr have recently been tabbed to add their input to this year's story, but haven't figured out an ending themselves.

Their story is just beginning, but for seniors like Omekanda and Viitanen, theirs is coming to an end.

Ultimately they are the ones who are looked at to end the yearlong writer's block that has plagued them all season.

As this journalist's story comes to a close, the Lions' story still has a ways to go.

They just haven't figured out the ending yet.