Despite strong performances, Gymnastics falls in home meet

Penn - 183.75 Brown - 185.80

The faces of the Penn gymnastics team are long and frustrated after suffering another discouraging loss to Brown this past Saturday.

In their first home competition of the season, the Quakers were in control for the first two rotations but were unable to hold on for the win, as the Bears edged them out, 185.8-183.75.

"We're coming along as a team," Penn freshman Christina Anzalone said. "We're just making mistakes."

Despite enduring the loss, the Quakers (0-3 in dual meets) put up a fight as several members made outstanding contributions.

Sophomore Christy Green gave Penn a commanding performance as she placed first in both the all-around competition and uneven bars with career bests of 38.2 and 9.75, respectively.

Green also matched her career high 9.7 on the floor, tying Brown's Melissa Forziat for first place.

Other impressive efforts centered around a Penn sweep of the uneven bars event. Bolstering Green's first place, the Quakers' formidable freshman class came alive as Anzalone threw a solid 9.625 to take second and fellow rookie Leah Moon notched third with a score of 9.325.

But that effort was just not enough to defeat the Bears.

"I think it has a lot to do with injuries," sophomore Cassandra Pare said. "Nobody is 100 percent out there.

"It was disappointing -- we definitely could have won. It wasn't like we weren't capable of winning, it was just that everyone fell. If we can become more consistent we can start winning. Its just tough when all the other teams are hitting and we're falling."

The Red and Blue look to make improvements at practice this week.

The Quakers will once again be concentrating on the smaller aspects of the sport in preparation for their upcoming meets.

Penn won't have to hit the road for another two weeks, as it takes on city rival Temple and Ursinus at 6 p.m. in Hutchinson Gymnasium next weekend.

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