Web Only: Gymnastics

George Washington posted its best score in almost two years and hit 23 of 24 routines to… George Washington posted its best score in almost two years and hit 23 of 24 routines to trounce the Pitt gymnastics team on Sunday.

The Panthers (1-8, 1-2 East Atlantic Gymnastics League) scored 190.05 to the Colonials’ 193.85 in an away meet.

“It was not a good one for us, we did not perform,” said Pitt coach Debbie Yohman. “There were a couple individuals who did a nice job, but I don’t have anything nice to say about the team in the first three events.”

The Panthers began on the bars, while George Washington competed on vault.

George Washington’s Kristen Simpson won the event with a 9.95, tying the best Colonial vault score since 2004.

On bars, Pitt junior Alix Croop tied for third place with a 9.725, leading the team, followed by sophomore Dani Bryan with a 9.7. Croop also led the Panthers on the floor with a 9.675 for fourth place.

“It wasn’t her best meet,” Yohman said. “She had to work hard to finish her bar routine, her timing was a little bit off and she had to work hard on her landing on floor.

“Comparatively speaking, she had a good meet because she stayed on two out of three events, but Alix would not say she had a good meet. I was pleased because she did what she needed to do.”

The Panthers moved onto the vault, where Bryan continued to post high scores on her EAGL-award-winning event, notching second place with a 9.825.

Sophomore Shannon McConnell also performed well on the vault, finishing with a 9.775. She also notched a 9.65 on the floor.

Pitt came close to a vault win, falling 48.1 to George Washington’s 48.4.

On the bars, the Colonials posted a season-high score of 48.675, beating the Panthers’ bar score of 47.075.

The Panthers fell further behind on the floor, where they posted a 46.2 to George Washington’s 48.45.

The Panthers finished the meet on beam for the second meet in a row. Last week, they posted their season-high score of 48.375, and this week they topped it with a 48.675 for the only event win of the afternoon.

“It was a great finish,” Yohman said. “I think the kids went over and it was kind of like they had nothing to lose, so they were very aggressive and just got up there and batted out routines”

Junior Anya Chayka scored well, claiming a 9.8 on the event for a first-place tie. It was her second win on the beam this season.

Also on beam, sophomore Sarah Thompson earned a 9.775 for third place and senior Sam DeBone came in fourth with a 9.75, followed by freshman Shannon Vafiadou, the team’s all-around competitor, with a 9.725.

Junior Andrea Konesky also placed eighth with a score of 9.625.

Freshman Molly Moyer was missing from the list of winners Sunday, posting an uncharacteristically low 9.025 on floor and 9.125 on vault.

In the all-around competition, Vafiadou, who is the only Panther to come all-around for the past five events, placed second with a career-high 38. She also earned third place on the vault with her score of 9.8.

“We just pick it up and go from here, take one meet at a time,” Yohman said. “Our goal for regionals looks kind of dim right now, but we’ve got EAGL championships and we know we’re competitive with the top schools in the EAGLs.

“We’re the best underachieving team in the county right now.”