University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panther Gymnasts Finish Sixth at EAGL Championships
3/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Panther Gymnasts Finish Sixth at EAGL Championships
3/25/2002
TOWSON, Md.- Pittsburgh improved two spots in its finish at the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships from a year ago but the score increase was more significant.
At the EAGL Championships held at Towson University on Saturday evening, the Panthers scored 194.275 points to finish sixth with North Carolina winning its first EAGL title with a total of 196.425 points. Pittsburgh (10-16, 3-9 EAGL) scored only 191.025 points at the 2001 league meet, giving the Panthers a 3.25-point improvement.
UNC finished ahead of defending champion West Virginia (196.025) by four-tenths of a point. Maryland took third place in the meet with 194.825 points followed by North Carolina State (194.725), New Hampshire (194.375), the Panthers, Rutgers (192.700) and the host Tigers (192.350).
Pittsburgh had five individuals break or tie career highs, including sophomore Diandra O'Connor (Owasso, Okla./Owasso) recording the 10th-best all-around score in Panther history with 39.15 points. Her 9.825 score on the uneven parallel bars was also a career high. Three other Panthers earned career highs on the bars, including Nathalie Sulpher (Ottawa, Canada/Franco-Quest) (Tied-9.775), Heather Launse (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) (Tied-9.700) and Marcy Blitz (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) (9.8).
Junior Lisa Yarosh (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) also tied a career high on the floor exercise with a score of 9.775 from the judges.
As a team, the Panthers' bars routines were enough for a season-high 48.8 points, seven-tenths of a point higher than their previous best. Senior Colleen Crisi (Woodhaven, Mich./Carlson) had a season-high 9.7 to go along with the Panthers' four career highs. Kelli Brown of North Carolina State won the individual bars competition with 9.925 points followed by four gymnasts tied with scores of 9.9.
The Panthers put together six solid vaults with the scores ranging from 9.6 to 9.775. Alyse Zeffiro (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem) led the Panthers with 9.775 points, followed by Sulpher with a 9.7 and O'Connor with a 9.675. TeShawne Jackson of West Virginia won the EAGL vault title with a score of 9.925 points. Three gymnasts tied for second place with identical 9.875 scores.
On the balance beam, the Panthers were able to stay on but the point totals were lower for small style and requirement deductions. O'Connor led the Panthers with a score of 9.8, followed by Launse with a 9.65. Four gymnasts tied for the championship, including Jen Clarke of Towson, Michelle Harley and Jen Dickson of New Hampshire and Amanda Halovanic of West Virginia with identical 9.875 scores.
The Panthers counted five scores that were 9.725 or higher on the floor exercise with O'Connor's 9.85 points leading the way. Zeffiro was a close second on Pittsburgh with 9.825 points and Yarosh's 9.775 was third. Anna Wilson of North Carolina had a near-perfect 9.975 to win the floor title, followed by five gymnasts with a score of 9.95.
In the all-around, O'Connor finished seventh with her career-high 39.15 points and Launse was in 10th with 38.7 points. Pittsburgh is currently ranked third in the North East region and will compete in the NCAA Regionals on April 6. The location and time of the meet will be announced at a later date.
