COLLEGE PARK, Md. – For the second time this season the University of Maryland Gymnastics squad defeated EAGL rival Pittsburgh. When the teams last met on February 13 in Pittsburgh, the Terps posted their second best team score of the season and top mark in a road meet (194.650). Tonight the Terps enjoyed another top performance with a team score of 195.025.

 

After a solid showing on vault the Terrapins led the Panthers by a slim margin, 48.725 to 48.075. Junior Brandi George led the squad with a stuck landing that earned her a mark of 9.800 and a tie for second place in the event. Freshman Kyra Phillips also stuck her landing and scored 9.775, her score was also matched by sophomore Abbey Adams.

In the second rotation Maryland scored 48.800 on the uneven bars, thanks to three stuck landings, and pulled away ever so slightly from Pittsburgh. Adams led the charge with a career-best score of 9.875, which earned her first place in the event. Sophomore Kaitlin Joseph had another solid night on bars as she received a career-best mark of 9.800 and tied for third place in the event. This replaces the career-high mark of 9.775 that Joseph earned last week. The Terps rounded out the event with a score of 48.800, which matches their team high for the season.

In the third rotation the Panthers performed on the floor while the Terrapins took to the beam. Adams and George earned second-place in the event, alongside junior Talia Tossone. All three Terrapins received a mark of 9.800. The squad received an overall score of 48.675, but by the end of the rotation the Panthers had managed to temporarily erase the Terrapin lead.

With the scores so tight, it was clear that victory would come in the final rotation. While the Panthers struggled on the balance beam the Terrapins pulled together another successful night on floor exercises. Michele Brenner and Adams tied for second place with scores of 9.825. George also had a solid night on the floor with a mark of 9.800. The Terrapins finished the event with a mark of 48.825, which again capped the event as the best for the Terrapins all evening.

The University of Maryland won bars, beam and floor exercises and tied Pittsburgh on vault. They ended the evening with an overall score of 195.025, while the Panthers fell behind with an overall score of 194.100.

Adams (39.275) and George (39.175) took first and second place respectively in the all around competition. One of the two competitors led the Terrapins in all four events.

The Terrapins will close out their regular season Saturday, March 14 at 4:00 PM in a quad-meet against Arizona, Penn State and Yale at Comcast Center Pavilion. The night will also mark Head Coach Bob Nelligan’s last meet in Comcast. Nelligan is retiring after 31-years at the helm of the Maryland gymnastics program.