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VARSITY VIEWS UPS AND DOWNS Mixed results for PSU as end of athletic year approaches t's been a good year overall for Penn State athletics, as evidenced by the school's third-place standing in the latest Director's Cup rankings. Here's a look at how several winter/spring teams have fared lately. MEN'S GYMNASTICS Ranked No. 1 nationally, the Nittany Lions were hoping to bring home an NCAA championship trophy. They wouldn't have had to carry it very far, since the national tournament was taking place in Rec Hall. But the Lions ended up finishing a disappointing fourth. With a team score of 436.100, they trailed Michigan, Oklahoma and Stanford. Coach Randy Jepson said the performance was not representative of the way his team had competed throughout the season. "We've been very good all year long," he said. "It's the worst day to have your worst day, a bad time to have your worst competition. And we did; this was not our best meet by any means. Hopefully our younger guys will learn from this, and it will cause us to be a little more determined." Several Nittany Lions shined in the event finals the following day, including freshman Trevor Howard, who won the floor exercise with a score of 15.800. "I was just saying my prayers hoping to rock it out," Howard said. "When I stuck that first pass, it was a great feeling. I just carried [the momentum] on throughout the routine, stick after stick." MEN'S VOLLEYBALL Penn State seemed to be peaking at the right time. It had just thrashed Harvard in the championship match of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament, sweeping the Crimson, 25-16, 25-16, 25-16, to qualify for the NCAA championships. But in the national semifinals, BYU made quick work of I Penn State, sweeping the Lions, 2521, 25-16, 25-22. Coach Mark Pavlik is hoping the season serves as a stepping stone to bigger things. The team's nucleus is young. It centers on Aaron Russell, who as a sophomore was named Most Outstanding Player of the EIVA regular season and tournament. Penn State has won 15 consecutive EIVA tournaments and will likely be favored to win the event again next year and advance to the national semifinals. It has made 29 appearances in the four-team tournament – an NCAA record – and has advanced to the final six times, winning twice. MEN'S LACROSSE Penn State's 10-game win streak came to an end in the final of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, as visiting Towson edged the top-seeded, ninth-ranked Nittany Lions, 11-10. The Lions tried to rally from a late three-goal deficit and trailed by only one after T.J. Sanders scored the last of his three goals with 1:42 remaining. But Penn State was unable to get the tying score. It was a tough loss, as Penn State had won its previous three matchups against Towson. But it didn't end the Nittany Lions' season. They received an at-large invitation to the NCAA tournament – their first since 2005 – and were set to face Yale on May 11. WOMEN'S LACROSSE Trailing fourth-ranked Northwestern by three goals in the second half of an American Lacrosse Conference semifinal matchup in Baltimore, the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions rallied back with two goals by Jenna Moskett and another by Kelly Lechner to send the game into overtime. But Amanda Macaluso scored in the extra period to give the Wildcats a 9-8 victory. The Lions were coming off a 16-14 quarterfinal victory over Vanderbilt the night before, while the Wildcats had a bye. Said coach Missy Doherty, "It would have been nice to come into this game rested like Northwestern, but I think having that competitive game last night kept us in a competitive mood today." Penn State received an at-large invitation to the NCAA tournament and was scheduled to play host to Canisius in the opening round May 10. Mark Selders/Penn State Athletic Communications THEIR CUP RUNNETH OVER With a sweep of Harvard, the Nittany Lions claimed their 15th consecutive EIVA tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA semifinals.

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