Feb. 12, 2012
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The No. 3 Penn State men's gymnastics team captured all six events, both as a team and individually, to secure a convincing 350.500-323.500 victory over Springfield College on Sunday afternoon in Springfield, Mass. Despite competing without several key regulars across their line-up, the Nittany Lions established season highs in the parallel bars (57.900) and high bar (58.300).
Felix Aronovich (Kiryat Bialik, Israel) was a multiple-event winner, placing first in the parallel bars and high bar. The junior's winning parallel bars score, a 15.000, was a team-season high, while his 14.900 high bar mark was a career best. He also placed second in the pommel horse (14.900) and third in the still rings (15.000).
Junior Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.) dominated the still rings, recording a 16.300 for the second time this season. The score tied the Penn State program record that he set in week one of the 2012 season in a win over Army and equaled the NCAA benchmark owned by Brandon Wynn of Ohio State, who also posted it twice in his career.
Junior Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.) remained undefeated on the season in the floor exercise, claiming his fifth title in the event. His score of 15.400 tied a career and team season high. Raque also finished second in the vault (14.500).
Freshman Tristan Duverglas (West Orange, N.J.) continued his early season emergence as Penn State's top vaulter, securing his third consecutive title in the event (15.000).
Sophomore Preston Gall (Columbus, Ohio) surpassed his previous career high in the pommel horse by .5, scoring a 15.100 to win the event.
Senior Warren Yang (Nepean, Ont.) (14.800, high bar) and junior Tony Beck (Catasauqua, Pa.) (14.700, parallel bars) each recorded career highs to place second in events. Other notable performances include Massachusetts native Matthew Felleman (Medway, Mass.) notching a pair of third place finishes (vault, parallel bars) and junior Matt Chelberg (Athens, Ohio) tying a season high in the floor exercise (15.000).
Next weekend, the Nittany Lions return home to the familiar confines of Rec Hall for the first time since the 2012 season opener, hosting three-time defending Big Ten champion No. 2 Illinois. The conference dual meet, which will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network on a tape-delayed basis, is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start on Saturday, Feb. 18. A year ago, Penn State upset the Illini in Champaign, 352.100-351.000.