While the dull gray sky of early morning threatened to rain on the soccer fields of the 2004 Mini World Cup, it could do very little to dampen the spirits of the competing teams.

On Saturday, the Pakistan Student Association (PSA) hosted a soccer tournament with 12 international student teams and about 150 players for a second year of competition.

Student groups such as the Korean Student Association (KSA), Chinese Friendship Association (CFA) and the African Students Association (ASA) were represented on the fields with players sprinting, shooting and shouting as they fought hard for a win and a chance at the tournament trophy.

"I think it's great because it brings all the international students together," said Ben Dame, a 2004 Penn State graduate and a Team Puerto Rico player.

"It's a little early though," he said with a laugh. The tournament started at 9 a.m., requiring both players and organizers to give up their customary Saturday sleep-in time.

"I went to sleep at 5:30 a.m. and I got up at 6:45 a.m. So I'm pretty wired," PSA Vice President Sarah Haque said, while hustling up and down the sidelines, organizing teams.

The tournament, which PSA President Sarah Hashmi said took about two weeks to organize, is one of several events PSA is planning for the year.

"People think because we're small that we don't have as much potential, but we're really coming up to the level of [more established] groups," PSA Secretary Afzal Nanji said.

This year the group will also host an Eid Festival, a celebration of the end of Ramadan, a Muslim religious holiday.

Last year the dinner sold out and drew about 120 people to India Pavilion, 222 E. Calder Way, for the festivities.

This year, PSA members said they are trying to find a way to cater the mid-November dinner and hold it in the HUB-Robeson Center.

Hashmi said the group has about 30 active members and had a team compete for the first time in the tournament this year. As the day wore on and the sun came out, so did a few spectators to show their support.

"It brings back memories because I'm originally from Ghana," Larry Yeboah (sophomore-kinesiology) said while watching ASA play KSA in the quarterfinals. "Back home in Africa we don't have shoes; we just play barefoot in the streets."

Hashmi said the tournament helps PSA gain visibility in the Penn State student community and further their goal to help others understand Pakistani culture.

"With Sept. 11 it's been really difficult for people to take us seriously," Hashmi said.

In fact, the group is open to any student who wishes to join, she said.

"The first thing people say to me when I ask them to join is 'But I'm not Pakistani,' " Hashmi said. "It really makes no difference."

As the tournament came to a close around 7 p.m. with the victory of ASA over CFA, players and PSA organizers gathered their belongings and wandered home, tired from a long day of games. But while this event is over, Hashmi said there's more to come.

"This year I think we're really going to flourish," she said.