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This weekend, the Penn gymnastics team will be feeling the pressure. But for the defending ECAC champions, that comes with the territory. The Quakers will be heading up to Cornell hoping to win their second consecutive conference crown.
Against Bridgeport and former Olympian Monica Mesalles Sallare, Penn narrowly fell 195.325-193.975 at the Palestra despite posting its fourth-highest overall score in program history.
In the Quakers’ only meet at the Palestra all season, against Bridgeport, it is the Red and Blue’s most–and least–experienced members that merit watching.
The Red and Blue beat their team score from last weekend and achieved a new season high of 191.525. With only one fall on the balance beam, the women are becoming stronger and more consistent.
Engaged in a four-way battle royal with Rutgers, Bridgeport and Ursinus, the Quakers came away from New Jersey with a final score of 190.525, good for third place.
After finishing third last year with an overall score of 189.025, Penn finished 4th this year at the Lindsey Ferries Invitational, despite a final score of 189.575, their highest to date at the annual competition.
Coach John Ceralde’s freshmen are joining a squad with high expectations following a season in which the team won the Ivy Classic and the ECAC Championship.
They came into the meet as the third seed, and lived up to expectations, finishing behind the University of Bridgeport and Texas Women’s University (TWU), while beating out five other squads.
This should be considered one of Penn gymnastics’ best-ever seasons, but if the last word is the most memorable, the Quakers need a strong final performance to cement their successful year.
On Saturday afternoon, gymnasts Dana Bonincontri and Kirsten Strausbaugh competed in NCAA Regionals at North Carolina State and although they turned in career-best performances, neither will advance to the NCAA Championships.