University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Penn State
Pitt Falls to Penn State in Final Home Meet of the Season
3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 18, 2006
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt Panthers (11-10, 3-6 EAGL) hosted No. 16 Penn State (10-5, 1-2 Big Ten) in their final home competition of the season. With some injuries to key gymnasts, Pitt had to shuffle their lineup this evening and bring in some new faces to fill the events. In front of the largest gymnastics crowd in the history of the Fitzgerald Field House, the team finished with a 189.750. Penn State placed first with a 196.400.
"We had to put together a [new] lineup tonight," said Head Coach Debbie Yohman. "It was good to see some of the kids who hadn't competed before or as often on events, hit their routines. Some of them made mistakes tonight that they hadn't made in practice this week. That can't happen. We've got to take advantage of the things we can do well."
Prior to the competition, Pitt seniors April Pearson (Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson) and Lindsay Swan (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) were recognized for their contributions to Pitt gymnastics over the years. Pearson is a specialist on the vault and uneven bars this season in addition to being team co-captain. Swan was an uneven bar specialist until she was sidelined with an injury at the Missouri Cat Classic. She also serves as a team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Pitt opened up the competition on the vault with a 47.625 with freshman Victoria McGuigan-Carl (Reading, Pa./Exeter) leading the team. She tied for second with a 9.750 and averages a 9.679 on the event this season. Sophomore Amanda Rushton (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) placed sixth with a 9.725. Penn State's Lisa Clark won the vault with a 9.875.
The Panthers only competed five gymnasts on the uneven bars and had to count all scores, giving them a 47.025 total. Freshman Alix Croop (Allentown, Pa./Bridgeway Academy) scored a career-high 9.825 to tie for fifth place. Sophomore Samantha DeBone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) placed seventh with a 9.800, and Pearson came in eighth with a 9.700. The Nittany Lions had the top four scores on the event with Katie Perret finishing first with a 9.925.
With a 47.925, the Panthers had several gymnasts turn in solid routines. Junior Jessica Garber (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Country Day School) placed sixth with a 9.700, and sophomore Cassie Minick (Potomac, Md./Richard Montgomery) finished seventh tying her season-high score of 9.675. Freshman Andrea Konesky (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) competed in her first collegiate competition, scoring a 9.575 for eighth place. Penn State's Stephanie Sullivan won the balance beam with a 9.875.
Pitt finished with a 47.175 on the floor exercise with Garber leading the team on this event as well. She tied for third with a season-high 9.825. Freshman Anya Chayka (Germantown, Md./Richard Montogmery) tied her career-high score of 9.675 to place eighth, and junior Robyn Marszalek (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) came in ninth with a 9.650. Penn State's Lisa Clark and Aslynn Satterfield tied for first with a 9.900.
Pitt didn't have any all-around competitors in this meet, but Penn State's Jennifer Orlando finished with a 39.175.
The meet with the Nittany Lions wraps up the regular season for the Panthers, as they will now head to Rutgers next weekend for the EAGL Championships on Saturday, March 25. Pitt has defeated league opponents Rutgers and Maryland this season.
