Coming off its best meet of the season Penn isComing off its best meet of the season Penn islooking for revenge against familiar opponents Revenge is in their blood. Anticipation is in their minds. And confidence is in their hearts. The combination of these three factors should make the Penn's gymnastics team a force to be reckoned with when it competes at the Towson Invitational against Towson State, George Washington, William and Mary, Temple and Maryland tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Quakers (4-4) have already faced four of the five teams this season -- all but the host Tigers -- who they will take on tomorrow. The first meeting between the teams came at the George Washington Invitational, where Penn finished last. At the GW Invitational, weak performances on the beam and bars hurt Penn. But the team is, as Quakers coach Tom Kovic said, "coming of the best meet of the season" against Brown and is looking to display its much improved performances this weekend as well. Along with upgraded routines, team comeraderie has also flourished. "I saw a more cohesive team," Kovic said. "I saw a more enthusiastic team. And I saw a more confident team." Penn sophomore Carin Kaplan is one of Penn's representatives on the beam, bars and floor exercises. Keeping in mind the beam and bars have been a nemesis for Penn, Kaplan admitted feeling some pressure. The beam, though, remains her favorite event. To be successful at Towson State, Kaplan feels the team must continue to "hit" and perform consistently, as it did against Brown. A goal Kaplan has set for this weekend is for the team to break 180 points. "We have almost reached the halfway point of the season," Kovic said. "Our endurance is at the right level. We just have to fine tune everything." After a week of "fine tuning " the team is determined to save face. By combining dangerous ingredients like revenge, anticipation and confidence, the team hopes to explode and succeed.
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