Following an impressive showing in a loss to Bridgeport on Feb. 8, the gymnastics team once again competed strongly on Feb. 13, coming home with a season-high score of 189.575. The Bears defeated the University of Wisconsin-Stout (183.825), but finished second to the University of Arizona (195.700).
"I'm extremely impressed with how we handled the pressure this weekend," said Head Coach Sara Carver-Milne. "This was undoubtedly the biggest setting we've had this year, both in terms of the crowd and competing against big scholarship programs."
Carver-Milne noted the personal achievements of her team as well, describing the efforts of Chelsey Binkley '11, Katie Goddard '12 and Victoria Zanelli '11 in particular.
Following the meet, Zanelli was optimistic about the team's prospects for the remainder of the season.
"Our confidence in the team and trust in the team is growing compared to the past, and we're definitely stronger than the previous years, we've had the potential but hadn't performed at our optimum," said Zanelli. "We're really starting to show what we're capable of achieving."
Captain Jennifer Sobuta '09 echoed Zanelli's sentiments, but still sees room for improvement.
"It was really great to see that everyone could keep their composure at such a big meet," she said. "This meet was a very good foothold for this coming weekend, as we hope to score 190 to gain the confidence we need to compete at Ivies."
On the vault, Binkley and Carli Wiesenfeld '12 each earned a 9.525 for seventh place. Zanelli placed ninth with a 9.475, followed by Melissa Bowe '11 and Lauren Tucker '12 with 9.450's for tenth, earning a team score of 47.425 in the event.
On bars, Zanelli recorded a personal best of 9.725, claiming second-place. Lilly Siems '12 also earned a personal best of 9.400, finishing seventh. Bowe (9.375) captured eighth, followed by Izzy Kirkham-Lewitt '10 (9.175), Sobuta (9.175), and Vida Rivera '11 (9.025). The Bears tallied 46.850 in the event.
Sobuta led the Bears on beam with a score of 9.775 for third place. Binkley and Goddard followed in tenth, each earning a 9.625. Zanelli (9.375) and Tucker (9.125) rounded out the Bears scoring to a 47.525.
Binkley earned the Bears' top score on the floor exercise, finishing in ninth with a 9.725. Goddard finished with a personal best of 9.725, and Tucker also notched a personal best with 9.650. Zanelli (9.425), Helen Segal '10 (9.250), and Whitney Diederich '09 (9.050) brought the Bears tally to 47.775.
In the all-around, Zanelli earned a personal best of 38.000, finishing in second.
The Bears will compete next on Feb. 20 against No. 13 Missouri, No. 18 West Virginia, and No. 11 Oklahoma, at Oklahoma.
