Feb. 9, 2018
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Penn State men's gymnastics team picked up its first Big Ten Conference win of the season with a season-best 417.400 at Ohio State Friday, Feb. 9. The Buckeyes scored a 414.900 in the meet to fall in their third Big Ten meet of the season.
Penn State's score of 417.400 ranks second nationally to only three-straight NCAA Champion Oklahoma, who scored a 418.000 this season.
The Nittany Lions bested their season-best scores on four out of six events including: floor exercise (70.950), pommel horse (69.200), still rings (69.950), and high bar (67.500). Furthermore, the Blue and White had five career bests on the day with two event victories.
Penn State saw wins from Joshua Smith (Baton Rouge, La.), who captured his first win of the season with the floor title and Sam Zakutney (Ottawa, Ontario), who won his third parallel bars title of the season. Freshman Parker Clayton (Fishers, Ind.) also made an impact in his first collegiate meet, competing on three events.
"Really-well fought meet tonight," said head coach Randy Jepson, "Our guys fought right to the end, we struggled a little bit on high bar, but put in a great finish on parallel bars to get out of Buckeye town with a win. I am really proud of my guys. A lot of guys grew up tonight and it was good to see them get thrown into the fire and come out a little bit more hardened and ready for next time as well."
Ohio State finished the meet with four event victors, but the wins were not enough as Penn State's team effort secured the victory.
Ranked second in the nation, Alec Yoder earned the pommel horse title, but Penn State scored a season-high 69.200 in the event behind a team-best 14.800 and a second-place finish from sophomore Stephen Nedoroscik (Worcester, Mass.). Senior Quest Hayden (Harrisburg, Pa.) and junior Michael Burns (Baltimore, Ohio) rounded out the top three scorers for the Blue and White with matching 13.850s to tie for fourth.
Smith earned his first event victory of the season on the floor exercise with a career-best 14.650 to lead the Nittany Lions to a season-best team score of 70.950. Brennan Pantazis (Sparks, Nev.) picked up the podium finish with a career-best 14.500 to tie for second, while Zakutney placed fourth with a 14.150.
Penn State maintained its lead through the third rotation, scoring a 70.150 on the vault to lead Ohio State 210.300-208.450. Smith notched up his second podium finish of the day with a 14.450, while Wyatt Tyndall (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) placed fourth with a 14.000 and Pantazis capped off the top five scorers with a 13.950.
The Blue and White continued to build on its lead in the fourth rotation, going five up, five count, and scoring a season-best 69.950. Sophomore Isaac Hammett (Sacramento, Calif.) led the Nittany Lions with a career-best 14.150 to place second overall, while Chris Sands (Lancaster, Pa.) tied for fourth overall with a 14.050.
Penn State earned its fourth season-best score of the evening on the high bar, notching a 67.500 with Zakutney placing fourth overall and Burns coming in fourth with a 13.900. Sands closed out the top three finishers for the Nittany Lions with a 13.750 and a sixth-place finish and Tyndall placed seventh overall.
In the final rotation of the night, Zakutney led Penn State with the event victory, scoring a 14.800, while Tyndall placed third with a 14.350. The scores allowed the Blue and White to take home a three point victory over Ohio State in its first away Big Ten Conference meet of the season.
Nedoroscik and Pantazis will head to the Winter Cup Thursday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 17 where Nedoroscik will compete on the pommel horse and Pantazis will compete in the all-around.