Panthers lose to second ranked opponent in a row

Pitt gymnastics overcame its problem events in last weekend’s meet but fell to its second… Pitt gymnastics overcame its problem events in last weekend’s meet but fell to its second ranked opponent of the season.

No. 23 Ohio State (4-2-1, 1-0-1 Big Ten) beat Pitt, 194.675 to 192.75. However, Pitt managed to post a season-high score of 48.375 on the balance beam, winning the event head coach Debbie Yohman had set out to improve this week.

“We had the season-high score, so obviously we did some good things,” she said.

The beam was the Panthers’ final event, and they had two leading individual scores. Senior Samantha DeBone scored a 9.775 for first place, and sophomore Sarah Thompson notched a 9.75.

DeBone was All-EAGL on the beam last season and two-time All-EAGL on bars, where she also scored well. Her teammates rewarded her performances with the Panther of the Week award.

The Panthers (1-7, 1-1 EAGL) began on the bars where they suffered two falls. However, they ended with a 47.225 to the Buckeyes’ 48.825, and it was smooth sailing from there.

“We were 50 percent on bars,” Yohman said. “If I would say anything after a very disappointing start like that, it was that our last two bar routines really hit, and the kids moved on and finished up real good on three events instead of pouting and letting that bother them, which is hard to do sometimes.

“They dug themselves out of that hole, that’s for sure. Three out of four events is great.”

DeBone also led the team on the bars, notching a 9.75 for fourth place.

Another star of the meet was sophomore Dani Bryan, who completed a third-place floor routine, an event a foot injury has recently prevented her from competing in. She earned a career-tying 9.85 on that event.

“Dani’s routine was excellent,” Yohman said. “The audience reacted like they did last year.”

Bryan also notched a 9.75 and fourth place finish on the vault, her EAGL-champion event last year.

The team tied a season-high of 48.4 on vault and fell just short of Ohio State’s 48.975.

Just behind Bryan on the floor with a 9.8 was freshman Molly Moyer, who has captured the event twice already this season.

Junior Alix Croop also scored well on the floor with a 9.775 and tied for fifth place on the bars with a 9.725.

In the all-around competition, Pitt freshman Shannon Vafiadou came in third place to Ohio State’s competitors and notched a 37.725. She earned a 9.725, sixth place on the vault and seventh place on the beam with a 9.6.

Pitt travels again this weekend to George Washington (6-3, 2-3 EAGL).

“It should be a neck-to-neck meet if we do our job,” Yohman said.

“We finish last on the beam again. It’s a pressure routine, but the kids like it. Obviously they did well with it last weekend.”