On Sunday afternoon, No. 25 Pitt women’s gymnastics (3-2, 0-2 ACC) lost out to No. 15 Stanford (5-0, 2-0 ACC) 194.550-196.175, in the first-ever meeting between the two. Stanford shone in the clash, claiming three team event victories.
Last time out, the Panthers lost out narrowly to Clemson but garnered a score greater than 195.000 for the second time this season.
Stanford came into this meet in formidable form with a 4-0 record and scoring 197.025 in its last matchup against North Carolina State, presenting Pitt with an almost insurmountable challenge to claim victory.
In the individual rankings, Pitt claimed two events with three Panthers sharing the limelight. Graduate student Elizabeth Cesarone secured the top spot on the vault while seniors Jordyn Ewing and Jah’Liyah Bedminster both laid claim to the floor title.
“We had a really strong start on vault and a great finish on floor, so it was nice to see that,” Pitt head coach Casey Jo MacPherson said. “Stanford’s a strong team, so to be competitive with them is really exciting.”
Vault: Pitt 48.925, Stanford 48.850
In its first rotation, Pitt once again began on the vault. The Panthers finished strong with Bedminster and Cesarone both sticking their landings to score 9.850 and 9.875 respectively, bringing Pitt’s score to an impressive 48.925 in the first event.
Individually, Cesarone and Bedminster claimed a one-two finish for Pitt. Cesarone’s first-place finish secured her third vault victory in three meets with her highest score of the season. The Central Michigan transfer has a scoring average of 9.850 as she remains undefeated as a Panther on the vault.
“It [feels] so good. It’s my fifth year, so I’m just excited to just come out here and have fun, and it’s paying off, so I’m really excited,” Cesarone said.
First-year Olivia Giunta also continued to improve, achieving a 9.775, giving her a new career high for the Blue and Gold.
Stanford failed to keep pace with the Panthers, scoring 48.850 and handing Pitt its first win of the afternoon.
“It’s very exciting. That was a great start for the team,” MacPherson said. “We saw a couple of really strong landings, so we’re super proud of them on that event.”
Bars: Pitt 48.625, Stanford 49.025
In the second rotation, the Panthers lost out to Stanford 48.625-49.025. Junior Anna Roberts claimed the individual title for Stanford with an outstanding 9.875 as the last gymnast on the bars, wrapping up a strong team display in style.
Senior Hallie Copperwheat finished in third place individually for Pitt after sticking a strong performance to score 9.825.
Beam: Pitt 48.000, Stanford 49.175
In the Panthers’ penultimate event, the Cardinals scored an awe-inspiring 49.175 to beat Pitt’s 48.000. Stanford took over the podium with a one-two-three finish individually to dominate the beam event.
Among Stanford’s best performers, sophomore Temple Landry stood out, scoring the events only 9.900 — a career high for her.
For Pitt, Bristol-born sophomore Emily Todd made a resurgence to match her season-high score of 9.775, and Copperwheat had the Panthers’ best score in the event with a 9.825.
Floor: Pitt 49.000, Stanford 49.125
Ewing and Bedminster claimed a joint victory for Pitt individually on the floor exercise, both putting up a 9.875 in the final rotation. First-year Meika Lee followed closely behind in joint second place to give Pitt a one-one-two finish with a career-high score of 9.825.
Despite these impressive results, the Panthers fell just short of the Cardinal despite scoring an imposing 49.000, as Stanford put up a 49.125.
“It’s tough, but we just want to keep doing our jobs and keep getting better each week. I definitely think we took a step forward on that event,” MacPherson said.
Next, Pitt travels to South Carolina on Jan. 31 as they look to get revenge on Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum.