Gymnastics: Pitt earns victory despite snowfall

While heavy snowfall on Friday night paralyzed plans for many, the Pitt gymnastics team captured… While heavy snowfall on Friday night paralyzed plans for many, the Pitt gymnastics team captured a quad meet victory at the Fitzgerald Field House.

“We are calling it the best meet nobody saw,” head coach Debbie Yohman said.

The Panthers (3-4, 1-2 EAGL) struggled before Friday’s meet, recording two consecutive losses against Ohio State and New Hampshire.

But Yohman noted that the team’s preparation did not change prior to the win over EAGL opponent Rutgers, Brockport and No. 13 Iowa State.

“We have continued to work hard and push in the gym, and we have looked good in practice,” Yohman said. “From a coaching standpoint, our message is not changing. We are telling the team, ‘You have worked hard, you have the talent, now rely on your training.’’’

With a score of 195.175, Pitt soundly defeated Rutgers and Brockport, which finished with scores of 189.300 and 188.350, respectively, but edged out a win over Iowa State, who finished with 195.125 points.

The consequences of meeting and defeating a ranked opponent are huge in any sport and the victory over Iowa State has the potential to inspire the Panthers for the rest of the season.

“The implication of this win is to simply to boost our confidence,” Yohman said. “A great score against a highly regarded team like Iowa State helps our own ranking and boosts the swagger we need to go into our EAGL championship at the end of the season.”

The Panthers turned in a complete meet, with excellent performances on the vault and the uneven bars.

In the vault competition, senior Dani Bryan tied for second with a team-best score of 9.825, despite battling a torn ligament.

“Dani has become our spiritual leader since she cannot compete on everything,” Yohman said.

Pitt captured its best performance on the uneven bars with a team score of 48.725 and freshman Meaghan Biros earned a personal best score of 9.775 in the process.

Sarah Thompson also excelled on the uneven bars and the senior set her own personal record with a 9.800 performance.

Sophomore Alicia Talucci continued her dominance, as she secured an all-around victory. It was her fourth of the season.

“Alicia is our rock,” Yohman said. “I have not had many competitors as consistent and calm as she is. The team is looking at her and learning how to get it done week after week.”

In assessing the performance of the Pitt gymnastics team, Yohman made it clear that the entire roster had responded to the call for improvement and execution.

“We had not yet put it all together, but everyone keeps stepping it up and pushing the lineups o get stronger,” Yohman said. “The team is taking ownership of our weaknesses and how we are going to reach our goals.”

As the Panthers look ahead to a Saturday meet against Penn State, Yohman stresses the importance of her team’s overall point performance, not just the win-loss record.

“Of course, we would like to beat Penn State, but in NCAA gymnastics, it is not about the wins but about the scores,” Yohman said. “There is no defensive strategy — it is just us against us.”

The Panther gymnasts will host the Nittany Lions on Saturday at the Fitzgerald Field House for a 7 p.m. meet.