After back-to-back meets on the road this weekend, the gymnastics team came home with a season-high score and a number of outstanding performances.
Despite a loss on Saturday in a meet against Towson University (192.850) and Penn (189.725), the Bears earned a season-best 187.300 and maintained a first-place standing in the Ivy League.
On Sunday, the Bears outscored West Chester University of Pennsylvania185.250 to 178.300 but finished second to Southern Connecticut State University (185.300) by a mere .05 points.
"We are definitely proud that we came home with a season high," said head coach Sara Carver-Milne. "The girls really started to put
things together."
"We know that we still have some improvements to make and will work hard in the coming weeks," she added.
Lilly Siems '12 was named ECAC Rookie of the Week after her outstanding performance in both meets. Carli Wiesenfeld '12 placed first on both the beam and in the all-around, and Katie Goddard '12 took the title in the floor event on Sunday.
"Everyone did a great job of keeping up the energy, and I think we really proved to the other teams that we're a threat this year," Goddard said. "The best thing is that, as a team, we keep building from one meet to the next."
"It's really exciting," she said.
Wiesenfeld led the Bears on Saturday, placing fifth on the vault with a score of 9.525. She was followed by Chelsey Binkley '11 (9.500) in sixth place and Siems (9.450) in eighth. The Bears totaled 46.600 for the event.
On the bars, Wiesenfeld continued to shine, with a score of 9.450. Siems (9.300), Isabelle Kirkham-Lewitt '10 (9.200) and Vida Rivera '11 (9.175) led the Bears to a total tally of 46.125 for the event.
Brown continued to improve on the beam, earning a total score of 47.100. Lauren Tucker '12 (9.575) and Siems (9.525) earned top scores for the Bears, placing eighth and tenth, respectively.
The floor, the Bears' best event of the day (47.475 total score), was headlined by Binkley's seventh-place finish (9.625). Goddard (9.600), Whitney Diederich '09 (9.550), Siems (9.500) and Helen Segal '10 (9.200) followed close behind.
"Saturday against UPenn was a great gauge as to where we are as a team going into Ivies later on in February," Captain Jennifer Sobuta '09 said. "It definitely helped everyone to see what needs to be focused on and polished for the rest of the season."
The next day, the Bears started off strong on vault with a score of 46.800. Siems and Binkley earned fifth with scores of 9.400. Wiesenfeld and Victoria Zanelli '11 followed in eighth (9.350), and Melissa Bowe '11 placed 11th (9.300).
On the bars, Bowe (9.475), Zanelli (9.400) and Siems (9.275) earned third through fifth, respectively. Wiesenfeld (9.174) and Rivera (9.100) brought Brown's total score for the event to 46.425.
The Bears won the beam event with a score of 46.025. Wiesenfeld placed first with a score of 9.600, with Zanelli finishing close behind in second (9.575) and Tucker in
fifth (9.050).
Goddard led the Bears on the floor event, capturing first place with a score of 9.575. Binkley finished in third with a 9.375, followed by Diederich in fifth (9.300).
Wiesenfeld (36.550) and Siems (36.375) took home first- and second-place finishes in the all-around, respectively.
"Our meet against West Chester and Southern Connecticut on Sunday was both a close and frustrating meet, but I'm really proud that all the girls were able to stay focused throughout the weekend and make some great changes from Saturday to Sunday," Sobuta said. "There's a lot of potential to do some great things this year, and the fight that carried across this weekend was really a great thing to see."
The Bears will compete next against Bridgeport on Feb. 8 at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
