Once again, Pitt falls by small margin

‘ ‘ ‘ It has been a season of small margins for the Pitt gymnastics team, as the Panthers’ past… ‘ ‘ ‘ It has been a season of small margins for the Pitt gymnastics team, as the Panthers’ past three losses have been by less than one point. ‘ ‘ ‘ This past Saturday’s result at the EAGL Championship was no different. ‘ ‘ ‘ Pitt finished the competition in fourth place with a 194.675, nearly one point off the first place team, North Carolina State. ‘ ‘ ‘ The team was hoping to place in the top three in order to advance on to the NCAA Regionals, but a fourth-place finish kept it from attaining its season-long goal. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘We didn’t set our goal to come close to regionals, we set the bar higher,’ said Pitt coach Debbie Yohman. ‘ ‘ ‘ While the season as a team is ending earlier than they had hoped, the Panthers have made strides since last years sixth-place finish at the EAGL Championship. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘We might be disappointed with where we ended, but we’re happy with what we did to get there,’ said Yohman. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although the Panthers won’t be competing as a team, three Pitt gymnasts have qualified individually. ‘ ‘ ‘ Co-captains Alix Croop and Dani Bryan will make the trip to Alabama along with freshman Alicia Talucci. ‘ ‘ ‘ Croop earned the EAGL Championship title on the bars with her first place finish. She tied her career high of a 9.850 on the only event she has competed in for four years as a Panther. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It was really exciting to become the bar champion because my role model Andrea Arlotta did it in 2007,’ said Croop. ‘ ‘ ‘ Arlotta, a former Pitt athlete and teammate of Croops, called to congratulate her after the meet. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘We were on the team together for two years, and I always looked up to her, so its incredible accomplishing the same thing she did,’ said Croop. ‘ ‘ ‘ Arlotta also qualified for the NCAA Championship, something Croop has recently set her sights on. ‘ ‘ ‘ Junior Bryan will compete at the NCAA Regionals on the vault after tying for 10th with a 9.825. ‘ ‘ ‘ Talucci also moves on. Tallying her second best score of the season, Talucci finished third in the all-around category with a 39.100. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘These three girls are the most consistent on the team,’ said Yohman. ‘And we hope they go into the meet [Regionals] and end up placing the same as they did at EAGL [Championship].’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Croop, Bryan, and Talucci will travel to Alabama to compete in the NCAA Regionals April 4.