The gymnastics team is no stranger to Olympic athletes. Though U.S. gymnast Alicia Sacramone left the Pizzitola Center two years ago for Beijing, an Olympian re-entered the arena on Sunday, this time as an opponent.
But Monica Mesalles, a member of the 2004 Spanish Olympic gymnastics squad and now a freshman at Bridgeport, could not edge out beam standouts Chelsey Binkley '11 and Victoria Zanelli '11, who finished third and fourth, respectively — ahead of the Olympian, who tied for sixth.
Despite efforts by Binkley — who finished in first place on the floor — Zanelli, Lauren Hall '13 and Carli Wiesenfeld '12, the Bears finished behind Bridgeport in the three-team home competition.
"We started strong and finished strong," said Brown Head Coach Sara Carver-Milne. "I think we lost focus a little in the middle, but our floor team came through at the end."
Bridgeport Coach Byron Knox commended his athletes on their first-place finish, noting an "exceptional performance" by Lorraine Galow, the meet's all-around high scorer, who finished first on vault and second on both beam and floor.
Tristan Poirier, head coach of third-place Rhode Island College, was less enthusiastic about his team's performance. "We're always just looking to improve," he said.
As the Brown squad moves forward, it will be looking ahead to the Ivy Classic, at which the Bears finished second last year. But this season, the competition will be held on Brown's home turf.
"Ivies are anyone's game," Carver-Milne said.
