Feb. 4, 2012
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The 10th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team rallied for a come-from-behind victory at No. 24 Iowa Friday evening. Penn State scored a 195.800 to Iowa's 195.150 for the win.
"We got off to a rough start on bars with our only first and last routines being performed the way they were supposed to be performed," said head coach Jeff Thompson.We had dugs ourselves an immense whole early in the meet. However, the team battled back and chipped away. By time we finished beam, an event that were rocked, we have come from behind for the win just like at Minnesota. This team has the heart of a champion. We simply need to learn why we made the mental mistakes we made and how to get over that so it doesn't happen again. This team has what it takes to go far."
The Nittany Lions had five all-around competitors in the meet. Junior Sharaya Musser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) posted a season-high in the all-around with a 39.600 for her fifth title of the season. Sophomore Kassidy Stauder (Palmerton, Pa.) finished second in the all-around recording a career-high 39.100, while senior Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) scored a 39.050 for third place. Junior Madison Merriam (Gaithersburg, Md.) placed fourth with a 38.925 and freshman Krystal Welsh (Bowie, Md.) took fifth with a 38.450.
Penn State opened the meet on bars where the team initially struggled scoring a 48.425, while Iowa posted a 48.650 on vault. Musser was Penn State's top performer on the event with a 9.850 to be part of a three-way tie for second place. Stauder posted a 9.775 for sixth, while senior bars specialist Alexandra Stine (Philipsburg, Pa.) scored a 9.700 for eighth. Bencsko took ninth place on the event with a 9.675 and Merriam finished 10th with a 9.425.
The Nittany Lions moved to vault in the second rotation where the Nittany Lions began to battle back bit by bit. Penn State scored a 48.950 for a combined team score of 97.375. Iowa remained in first place in the meet after scoring a 49.175 on bars for a team score of 97.825.
Penn State had three gymnasts finish in the top five led by Musser's 9.925 for first place. Merriam tied for third with a 9.775, while Bencsko, Welsh and freshman Lexi Carroll (Olney, Md.) were part of a four-way tie for fifth after each scored a 9.750.
The Nittany Lions took the lead after rotation three where they scored a 49.150 on floor for a team score of 146.525. Iowa struggled on beam scoring a 47.975 to bring their team score to145.800.
Musser secured her second individual event title of the night with a 9.900 on floor, while Merriam posted a 9.875 for fourth. Bencsko tied for fifth with a 9.850. Welsh placed ninth with a 9.775 and Stauder tied for 10th with a 9.750.
The Nittany Lions rocked beam combining for a 49.275. Despite Iowa's stellar performance on floor with a 49.350 it wouldn't be enough to steal the meet away from Penn State.
Musser claimed the crown on beam with a 9.925 and Stauder posted a career-best 9.900 for second place. Merriam improved her career-best on beam with a 9.850, as did Welsh who posted a 9.825 for fifth. Bencsko took sixth with a 9.775 to round out Penn State's top performers on the event.
Penn State is on the road against on Feb. 11 with a trip to N.C. State. The Nittany Lions are set to face N.C. State, George Washington and William & Mary at 7 p.m. Penn State returns home on Feb. 18 to take on SUNY-Brockport in a double dual with the Nittany Lion men's team.