Feb. 18, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 18th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team scored a season-high 196.600 to take first place in the quad meet at Maryland. Maryland finished second time with a 195.300, Rutgers took third with a 192.975 and William & Mary finished fourth with a 186.975.
As a team, Penn State scored a 48.925 on vault, a 49.375 on bars, a 49.200 on beam and a 49.100 on floor. Sophomore Sharaya Musser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored a 39.575 to tie her season-high and finish first in the all-around. Sophomore Madison Merriam (Gaithersburg, Md.) tied for second place scoring a 39.475. Junior Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) earned a 38.375 to take seventh place in the all-around.
"We're really proud of the girls as they continue to improve each week," said head coach Jeff Thompson. "The meet was really close going into the last event, but it didn't bother the girls as they turned in some of their best bar performances of the season. It was a great score on the road and a great win for the program. There were a ton of Penn State fans there and it was really exciting to hang out with everyone after the meet."
Merriam was Penn State's top performer on vault. She tied for first place with a career-high 9.925. Freshman Kristin Blades (Gainesville, Va.) finished third with a career-best 9.875 and tied with Musser. Freshman Lindsay Musgrove (League City, Texas) finished 13th scoring a 9.700.
Junior Natalie Ettl (Waukesha, Wis.) claimed the uneven bars title with a personal-best 9.975. Merriam turned in a career-high 9.925 to take second place on the event and junior Alex Stine (Philipsburg, Pa.) posted a career-best 9.850 to take third. Musser finished fifth on the event with a 9.825 and Bencsko scored a 9.800 to tie for sixth.
Musser and Bencsko were Penn States top competitors on beam. Musser took the crown with a 9.925, while Bencsko scored a 9.900 for second place. Junior Daryl Konsevick (Rutherford, N.J.) posted a 9.850 to tie for third and freshman Cassidy Bogar (League City, Texas.) tied her personal-best with a 9.775. Merriam scored a 9.750 to tie for sixth.
Musser also claimed the floor title with a career-high 9.950. Merriam took third place scoring a 9.875, while Konsevick posted a 9.800 for sixth. Musgrove earned a 9.775, tying her career-high, to take seventh. Bogar took 10th with a 9.700.
What's Next?
The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall for two straight weekends on Feb. 26 when they host Ohio State at 1 p.m. The meet will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and is a double dual with the Nittany Lion men's team. Penn State remains at home to host N.C. State and Maryland on Friday, March 5 at 7 p.m.