March 8, 2009
Complete Results
Morgantown, W.V. - The 19th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team defeated No. 20 West Virginia, 196.225-195.925, Sunday afternoon in Morgantown, W.V.
As a team, Penn State recorded scores of 49.125 on vault, 49.025 on bars, 48.875 on beam and a season-high 49.200 on floor for its second-highest team total of the season (196.225).
Four Nittany Lion gymnasts competed in the all-around, led by freshman Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) who finished second with a career-high 39.425. Junior Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) scored a fourth-place 38.875, junior Alexandra Brockway (Macungie, Pa.) posted a fifth-place 38.350 and junior Casey Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove, Pa.) tallied a sixth-place 37.925.
Penn State opened up the meet on the uneven bars, as Brockway claimed the highest spot for the Nittany Lions, posting a season-high-tying 9.875 for second place. Personett recorded a third-place 9.850 as Bencsko and sophomore Danielle Hover (Hamburg, N.Y.) each posted a 9.800 to tie for sixth. Freshman Alex Stine (Philipsburg, Pa.) finished 10th with a 9.700 as Rohrbaugh placed 12th with an 8.550. West Virginia's Mehgan Morris claimed the overall title with a 9.925.
In the second rotation, the Nittany Lions moved to the vault, with Bencsko claiming top honors with a career-high-tying 9.925 for her third individual event crown on vault. Personett placed third with a 9.850 as Rohrbaugh claimed seventh with a 9.800. Brockway and junior Allie Southard (Nanuet, N.Y.) each recorded a 9.775 to tie for ninth, a season-high mark for Southard, with Hover scoring a 9.750 for 11th.
On floor in the third rotation, Personett took the title with a career-high-tying 9.950 as Bencsko tied for second with a personal-best 9.925. Southard, Rohrbaugh and freshman Daryl Konsevick (Rutherford, N.J.) all put up a 9.775 to tie for seventh, a career-high for Konsevick, and Brockway placed 12th with an 8.975.
The Nittany Lions closed out the meet on beam, as sophomore Melissa Klein (Oceanside, N.Y.) earned her first collegiate beam title with a career-high 9.850. Rohrbaugh tied for second with a 9.800 and Bencsko posted a 9.775 for fifth. Southard and Brockway each tallied a 9.725 to tie for sixth while Personett scored a 9.225 for 11th.
Penn State remains on the road next weekend, traveling to Maryland with Arizona on March 14 before competing at the Big Ten Championships on March 21 in Champaign, Ill. That meet will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
For more information on the Penn State women's gymnastics team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.