UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's gymnastics team (4-1, 0-1 Big Ten) hosted No. 16 Michigan State (4-3, 1-0 Big Ten) Friday night at Rec Hall. While ultimately falling to the Spartans (197.475), the Nittany Lions earned a total score of 195.950, their highest score in a Big Ten opener in two seasons.
Penn State battled through all four rotations against the Spartans on Friday night and despite the final score, the Nittany Lions showed flashes of brilliance all evening. The team's best rotation was balance beam where they earned a season-best 49.325 on the apparatus.
The team earned multiple career-bests scores on beam and floor. Isabella Salcedo and Haleigh Gibble both tied their career bests on beam, scoring 9.95 and 9.9, respectively. Freshman Alyssa Kramer earned her career-best score on the floor with a 9.875, tying Amani Herring for the team lead in the event. Ava Piedrahita and Kalea McElligott competed in the all-around, both earning 39.150 totals.
ROTATION RECAP
In their first rotation on vault, Ava Piedrahita led the Nittany Lions with a season-best tying 9.875. Piedrahita earned a 9.95 from one judge and a 9.8 from the other. Kalea McElligott posted a 9.775 and Maddie Johnston earned a 9.75.
On the uneven bars, Penn State received a score of 48.925. Maddie Johnston earned a season-best 9.825. Piedrahita and Rushlow scored 9.8 while McElligott and Gabbie Gallentine scored 9.75s, Gallentine doing so in her season debut for the Nittany Lions.
During the third rotation, the Nittany Lions took home 49.325 for beam, their season-best score on the apparatus. Salcedo tied her career high with a huge 9.95. Gibble also tied her career best with a 9.9. Herring earned a 9.85 while McElligott achieved her career best with a 9.825 in her third of four all-around events. Piedrahita posted a 9.8 and Johnston earned a 9.775 to round out a fantastic rotation for Penn State.
On the floor, Kramer and Herring led the Nittany Lions with 9.875s, Kramer recording her career high with the mark. McElligott received a 9.8 to round out the top three scorers for Penn State.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Sarah Brown
WHAT'S NEXT
The Nittany Lions travel to Piscataway, N.J. where they will compete against the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. The meet will air on the Big Ten Network.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).