Jan. 27, 2012
Team Results | Floor Exercise Results | Pommel Horse Results | Still Rings Results | Vault Results | Parallel Bars Results | High Bar Results | All-Around Results
WEST POINT, N.Y. - The No. 4 Penn State men's gymnastics team extended its title-winning streak at the West Point Open to 14 straight, compiling a season-high team score of 352.000 to outdistance the field on Friday evening at host Army's Christl Arena in West Point, N.Y.
The Nittany Lions continued their dominance of east region foes, besting Temple (342.300), Army (326.200), Navy (324.000), and Springfield College (322.200) in addition to club teams Arizona State (318.900) and Brockport (247.300) to claim the 2012 crown at the 21st annual West Point Open. Penn State won all six events as a team, setting or equaling season highs in four, and five different Nittany Lions secured at least a share of an event title. Penn State also established a program record in the pommel horse, scoring a 59.300 as a team, easily surpassing the previous high of 58.200 set in March of 2008.
The Nittany Lions also advanced three competitors to the individual finals in each event, the maximum number allowed under West Point Open rules.
Junior Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.) spearheaded Penn State's title-winning showing, claiming the all-around with a career-high score of 85.500. The two-time All-American placed first in the floor exercise (15.300) and third in the still rings (15.100) and vault (15.000).
Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.) continued his assault on the Penn State record book on Friday night, exceeding the 16.000 plateau in the still rings for the second time in three meets this season with a score of 16.100. The junior now owns the program's top two scores in the event, after shattering the PSU benchmark in week one with a score of 16.300.
Junior Tony Beck (Catasauqua, Pa.) continued his impressive start to the 2012 season with a strong outing in the team finals. His title-winning score of 15.300 in the pommel horse is the highest earned by a Nittany Lion since Nissen-Emery Award honoree Casey Sandy posted a 15.350 on April 4, 2008. Beck also tied for third in the parallel bars (14.400).
A pair of Penn State freshmen also contributed title-winning performances. Tristan Duverglas (West Orange, N.J.) captured the vault with a season team high score of 15.100 while Matthew Felleman (Medway, Mass.) took first in the parallel bars (14.600). Felleman also placed third in the floor exercise (14.700) and fourth (tie) (14.100) in the high bar.
A third rookie, Craig Hernandez (Libertyville, Ill.), played a part in the team's record-setting pommel horse effort, finishing in a tie for fourth with a score of 14.800.
Senior team captain Miguel Pineda (Galloway, Ohio) earned top five finishes in three events, including a second place showing in the still rings (15.700). Junior Felix Aronovich (Kiryat Bialik, Israel) also claimed a runner-up spot, placing second in the high bar (14.200).
Competition at the West Point Open resumes on Saturday at 7 p.m. with the individual event finals. The top eight finishers from each of Friday night's events advance to vie for individual honors on Saturday evening. The complete list of Penn State gymnasts who have qualified is as follows:
Floor Exercise: Parker Raque, Matthew Felleman, Felix Aronovich
Pommel Horse: Tony Beck, Mackenzie Dow, Craig Hernandez
Rings: Scott Rosenthal, Miguel Pineda, Parker Raque
Vault: Tristan Duverglas, Parker Raque, Miguel Pineda
Parallel Bars: Matthew Felleman, Tony Beck, Miguel Pineda
High Bar: Felix Aronovich, Matthew Felleman, Tony Beck