Gymnastics Places Third at Nation's Capital Cup
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Gymnastics Places Third at Nation's Capital Cup
3/6/2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. ? The Pittsburgh gymnastics team defeated two of its four opponents on Saturday afternoon to place third at the Nation's Capital Cup in Washington D.C.
The Panthers (10-6-1, 3-2-1 EAGL) scored 193.675 points to defeat William & Mary (191.95) and Yale (191.575), but were behind host George Washington (195.975) and EAGL rival Towson (194.675) to finish 2-2 for the meet.
Senior Alyse Zeffiro (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem) had season-low scores on both the vault and balance beam but again tied the school record on floor exercise with a 9.95, the fifth time she has achieved that score to tie with Erika Goldberg (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern) for the record. Goldberg tied for second in the meet with a 9.9, the third of her career on floor.
Also scoring well on floor for the Panthers were senior Diandra O'Connor (Owasso, Okla./Owasso) with a 9.85 and freshman Jessica Garber with a 9.8 from the judges. Pittsburgh scored 49.25 points in the event, its best of the afternoon.
Freshmen Andrea Arlotta (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) and Robyn Marszalek had strong meets on two events apiece for the Panthers. Arlotta finished in fifth place on vault with a 9.8 from the judges and tied for eighth on the uneven bars with 9.775 points. Marszalek scored 9.725 points on the bars and added 9.7 on the balance beam.
Goldberg and O'Connor finished right behind Arlotta on the vault with 9.75 and 9.725 points, respectively. Arlotta tied with junior Leila Tait (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) for the Panthers' top score on bars with 9.775s from the judges, while sophomore Roslyn Singleton (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) had the team's top score on the beam with 9.85 points. Pittsburgh was forced to count two falls on beam to keep them from scoring higher.
The Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday, March 9, for a home tri-meet against West Virginia and James Madison. The meet will be held at Fitzgerald Field House and begin at 1 p.m.