University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Rutgers
Panthers Staying Strong with Win Over Rutgers
2/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 4, 2006
PITTSBURGH - The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have been tough competition for the Panthers in the past, but tonight Pitt was able to hit every routine for a 191.950 season-high team score. They edged out the Scarlet Knights by 1.325 for first place.
"We're taking baby steps," said Head Coach Debbie Yohman. "And that's certainly better than going up and down all the time. Our gymnasts did so many nice things tonight. Anya turned in a solid beam performance for first place. Andrea came through in the all-around. Nicole competed for the first time as an all-arounder and hit the best bar routine of her career. We're going in the right direction."
While the vault used to be a tough event for the Panthers, it's becoming one of their strongest this season. With a score of 47.975, the team now has a 48.118 average. Pitt gymnasts finished in the top three on the event. Freshman Anya Chayka (Germantown, Md./Richard Montgomery) scored a career-high 9.625 for third place on the event. Fellow rookie Victoria McGuigan-Carl (Reading, Pa./Exeter) took second with a 9.650, and junior Andrea Arlotta (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) started off the night with a 9.675 for her first event win of the competition.
The Panthers also took the top three places on the uneven bars, setting a season-high 48.250 on the event. Sophomore Samantha DeBone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) placed third with a 9.657. Senior April Pearson (Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson) tied her career-high with a score of 9.700 for second place. Arlotta took home her second event victory by tying her season-high score of 9.800.
Both Pitt and Rutgers were able to hit solid beam routines with Rutgers winning the event with a 47.775 and Pitt just behind them with a season-high 47.500. Chayka led the Panthers with a first-place finish on the event with a score of 9.650. Rutgers' Casey Santangelo took second with a 9.625. DeBone and Rutgers' Latara Northcutt tied for third with a 9.600. DeBone tied her season-high score on this event as well.
The Panthers finished on the floor exercise with six aggressive routines to earn them a 48.225, one tenth above the Scarlet Knights. Arlotta won her third event with a season-high 9.775, and junior Jessica Garber (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Country Day School) finished in second with a 9.725. Rutgers' Beth Fittery and Lauren Sisler tied for third with a 9.675.
Arlotta captured her third all-around victory of the season, edging out the competition with a season-high 38.800. Rutgers' Beth Fittery took second with a 38.150, and Pitt's Nicole Drane competed in the all-around for the first time of her collegiate career, placing third with a 38.050.
The win over Rutgers is Pitt's first conference victory of the season and moves them into a winning record of 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league action. The team will remain in Pittsburgh for a quad meet next weekend as they play host to Ohio State, SUNY Brockport and Maryland. The meet is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, at 7 p.m.
